Hello, Stranger
by Burrberry Bugsy
Summary: A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it be to focus on passing the class when you’re paired up with your worst enemy’s girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ON HIATUS
1. 28 Days

**Author's Notes:** Before I get criticized for anything, this is an Edward/Bella story! Trust me! I'm Team Edward all the way! So don't get angry with how things are now! Please, just give it a chance!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight, just the plot.

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**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter One**

**28 Days**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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"Oh come on, please just a little farther!" I cried out as I pushed down harder on the gas pedal. It was times like this and  
_only_ at times like this that I wish I had a car that could go over fifty miles per hour without risking it never starting again. I easily found an empty parking spot and two seconds after shutting off the engine, I was sprinting down the concrete and praying to the heavens above I didn't fall on my face and bleed all over the place. Two buildings and one staircase later, I was in front of my Anthropology class as I caught my breath and hesitated. I knew he was going to give me a hard time regardless, so I sucked in a breath and pushed the door open.

"Ahh, Ms. Swan. Late again, are we?"

Told you so. "I'm… really sorry, Professor Peterson. I'll try to come in on time from now on." I apologized, walking up a few rows to take a seat right beside the one person I knew in the class.

"I'd appreciate that, Ms. Swan. Interrupted lectures get tiring for me after a while, don't you think? I'm sure if everyone in here can live their lives and still manage to make it here before 3:45 PM, you can, too. "

I nodded and put my backpack down to the ground, letting out a small sigh of relief when he finally went back to his lecture. I felt a tap on my shoulder as I peeked over, seeing a small piece of white paper in front of me.

_Peterson's a total ass, Bells. Don't let him get to you._

I smiled to myself and pulled out a pen, scribbling my reply.

_Sometimes, I seriously think I need a new car. Professor Peterson's seen it and knows how slow it is! You'd think he'd cut me some slack! It's the only reason I'm ever late. I think he prides himself in the fact that he can drive me absolutely insane._

He chuckled very softly, and took his turn to write. _Like I said, don't let him get to you. He's just mad because he could never look as good as you do driving that old, beat up truck of yours._

I giggled and hoped it wasn't loud enough for Mr. Peterson to single me out again. _He tell you that himself, Jake?  
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_No, I have a crystal ball in my car that sees the future. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I know we said we'd always be honest with each other. Can you ever forgive me?  
_

That one made me snicker a little too loudly and I immediately regretted it.

"A problem, Ms. Swan? Mr. Black?" he asked, pulling off his reading glasses with obvious annoyance in his voice.

"No, Professor Peterson." we answered in unison. It felt like high school all over again.

He went back to his lecture and I mentally screamed. Was it really necessary to do that? He was going to get paid whether I was paying attention or not! Before I could even think of anything else, the note was shoved at me again.

_He knows that I know his secret! I guess we should actually look like we're paying attention now, huh?  
By the way, you look _awesome_ in red._

I smirked as I folded the note small enough to fit in my front pocket. Jacob Black never failed to put that stupid, embarrassing grin on my face. But, of course, it's expected from him since he's been my best friend since before I could even remember. He always knew how to make me smile, he was just getting better at it since he was bumped up from being the best friend to being the boyfriend.

"The purpose of your next assignment will be to examine relationships as they manifest themselves into the much larger category of a marital relationship." Professor Peterson announced, sighing when everyone stared at him like he'd just spoke in gibberish. "I will assign each of you a partner that you are to associate yourself with for the next 28 days. You will live together for the time being and experience the stages of changes that are made when bounding oneself to another for eternity."

My mouth dropped open. We were going to do what? Pretend to be _married to each other_? Did I really hear that right?

"At the end of these four weeks, I expect your perspective in essay form. A minimum of six pages, 5000 words or more but never less. This assignment will count for 30 percent of your overall grade in this class and a daily log of the trials and tribulations you face is recommended but not required. Every time we meet for class now will be to discuss any problems one might have or to discuss the assignment in general. Does anybody have any questions?"

Nobody raised their hand to ask anything. I didn't even care about asking questions. All I cared about was the "minimum of six pages with 5,000 words or more" part. I could already see the F's flying around me, mocking me. I didn't care too much for the assignment itself since it seemed easy enough. Live together and pretend to be married, how hard could that be? But _writing_ about it... that was a completely different story.

"Do we have to stay at one house? Or can we like, switch off?" Some random student in the back asked. I didn't know who it was.

"You may switch off as you please, so long as you're underneath the same roof at the end of the day." Professor Peterson replied. "And before any of you assume in your heads that you can get away staying at your own places away from each other..." He walked over to his briefcase looking contraption he carried around, pulling out the biggest stack of papers I'd ever seen. How'd it all fit in that tiny thing anyways? "I've given this assignment enough times over the years to know when information is falsified. If I have an idea that you worked your way around the guidelines, automatic F."

I think just about every student in there was crying on the inside. It was now starting to occur to me why Professor Peterson got such terrible reviews on Rate my Professor dot com. You'd figure if more than half the students on there said he was a jerk who got butt hurt at the littlest things and failed people for no good reason, I'd have picked another professor. But it's not like I had any other choice since I was late for class registration. Can you believe in a measly two hours, all the other Anthropology classes were full? I slammed my head down on the desk. I hated college.

"When I call your name, please come down with your partner for your syllabus. You're free to leave afterwards." The professor pushed his glasses on and cleared his throat. "Rachel Anderson and Brandon Hurley."

"Think we'll get paired together, Bells?" Jacob laughed, stretching out his arms.

"All I'm honestly thinking about is the essay due at the end of this. I don't even think I _know_ 5,000 words." I realized in horror, slumping in my seat. Did I mention I hated college?

"That's why you repeat a lot of them," he teased, patting my shoulders as he spoke. "And don't use contractions. Instead of isn't, say is not. It gives you an extra word and trust me, it really helps."

"Joseph Brown and Julia Moore." Professor Peterson called out.

I ignored Mr. Peterson since it wasn't me he was calling. "I never thought of that." I mused with a laugh, thinking about what Jake had said. Maybe that's how he got his good grades. He knew the secrets to the easy way out. I'd have to see if he had any more up his sleeve.

"I wonder if Peterson knows about us."

"He doesn't seem to really care too much about any of our personal lives, Jake."

"Rhonda Cole and Anthony Reynolds."

He thought about it for a minute and then shrugged his shoulders. "I really don't care. If we get paired up, great, but if not I have nothing to worry about."

"Good." I noted, not having heard my name be called yet. "I don't want you to play the jealous boyfriend role if I get paired up with some other guy."

"Have I ever played the jealous boyfriend role, Bells?" he asked me with an innocent smile on his face. I hated his straight, pearly whites. They could get away with anything.

"No, but you're capable of playing it."

"I think I've got that emotion locked down pretty well." He reached under the desk and gave my knee a slight squeeze. "You're mine, so what is there to be jealous of?"

"Right." I agreed.

"Edward Cullen," Professor Peterson announced. "and Isabella Swan."

Jacob and I both turned towards our teacher, wondering if that was correct. Was I hearing things? But if I were hearing things, Jake wouldn't have been staring at Professor Peterson the way he was. We couldn't have both heard wrong... right? "Huh?" It was the only thing that came out of my mouth and I knew I aggravated him even more with my horrid manners.

"I said Edward Cullen and _Isabella Swan_, since you failed to hear me the first time." he repeated, getting impatient.

"Of all the people to pair you up with..." Jake mumbled under his breath, balling his hands into fists.

"You're playing the jealous boyfriend role." I hissed quietly, standing up.

"I have a reason to now!" he countered, his dark eyes blazing with fury.

Peripheral vision allowed me to see someone across the room stand up and head towards the front just as I did. I didn't want to anger Professor Peterson any further so I decided I'd deal with Jake later. I reached the podium and stared quizzically at the box beside the professor's hand. He grabbed something inside and handed one to me and one to my partner. They were cheap dinky rings that looked like those ones you could get for a quarter at the supermarket. Mine was pink and his was blue. How _original_, and pretty cheesy, if you ask me.

"Any questions? Concerns?"

My partner and I looked at each other, both waiting for the other to answer first. I could see Jake from where I stood and I swear he was able to draw blood from how tightly his hands were made into fists.

"No concerns," my partner spoke as he placed the cheap band on the ring finger of his left hand. "But may I have the syllabus, professor?"

"Certainly."

Before I realized it, I followed him out of the room. I don't know if I were still in shock from how impossible the essay seemed to be or that, of all people, I was going to be stuck with _him_ for the next four weeks.

"Hi," He flashed a crooked grin at me. "I'm Edward Cullen."

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_**End of Chapter One**_

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**Author's Notes:** This is my second story that I decided to try out! This one is most definitely Edward/Bella, even though she's with Jacob right now. Trust me on this, okay? I'd really like any kind of feedback and reviews will be greatly appreciated! Since this was just the chapter for the introduction of everything, of course it was a little.. eh. Haha! But give it a chance and I promise the chapters after this will be much, much better! So click that little review button and make me happy, pleaaase?

_-Burrberry Bugsy_


	2. Friends Close, Enemies Closer

**Author's Notes:** Holy smokes! ...I got a phenomenal response with just the first chapter! You guys **ROCK**! Totally, TOTALLY made my day. So for all of you who made me really happy, VERY early update! Like I mentioned, this is Edward/Bella! Again, thank you for the reviews, adding it to your alerts, and adding me to your favorites! I've never been so flattered. You're all the best!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight. Please don't try to sue me. You won't get much, really.

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**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Two**

**Friends Close, Enemies Closer**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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"Hi," He flashed a crooked grin at me. "I'm Edward Cullen."

I blinked, still trying to get over the shock. "I know." It was a dumb answer. I could've at least introduced myself, too, but no. Maybe I needed to take a speech class..

"And you're... Isabella Swan, right?"

"Bella," I corrected, finally managing to stop acting like such a speechless moron. "Just call me Bella."

"Okay, _Bella_," Edward said. "Your place or mine?"

I think I stopped breathing for a second. Remembering my lungs, I shook my head a little and took a breath. "Excuse me, _what_?"

Edward raised a brow at me. "Professor Peterson _just_ mentioned how if we falsify anything, it's an automatic F."

Oh, yeah. Duh. "Oh. Yeah, it sort of slipped my mind." I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, looking to see if Jacob was out yet. Nope, not yet. "I guess we could switch off. We can start at your place, and then go to mine after a week or so."

"That sounds like a plan." He took out a pen and a scrap piece of paper hanging loosely out of his binder, scribbling something before he handed it to me. "Here, the address to my place."

"Thanks." I mumbled, putting the paper into my front pocket as well. "I'll... get my stuff together and head over when I'm done."

"Just give me a call. My number's on there, too." he added, pulling his car keys out of his back pocket. I had forgotten that his hair was a bronze-ish color. "Take your time. I need to clean up a bit." Before I could say anything, he took off down the staircase and I stayed where I was.

I still couldn't believe it. I leaned again the wall, still waiting for Jacob to come out when Edward left. From Jake's actions and the look in his eyes, I knew I should've told Professor Peterson it wouldn't be a good idea to pair Edward and I up. But what was I supposed to say? Oh, I know. I had the whole speech planned out in my head. It'd go a little something like, "Oh, sorry Professor, but can you assign me another partner? My boyfriend, Jacob, isn't too fond of Edward because their great-great-grandparents got into some kind of a quarrel decades ago that follows up until our generation. Oh, and get this! One time in high school, I fell off my stairs and had to go to the hospital to see if I had a concussion. Edward's father, Carlisle Cullen, was the doctor who examined me. During one point, Edward walked in to give his father updates on other patients since he worked at the hospital part time. And guess what, Professor? I had this crush on him. Like, I'd purposely get into stupid accidents with Jacob's motorcycle just to see him! Not that I ever told Jake that, but I mean, he figured it out on his own. How stupid was I, right? That just made his resentment towards Edward even greater. So yeah, that's why I can't be Edward's partner for this assignment. Did you get all that?" Yeah, right! I can't admit all of that to my Anthropology professor! I grumbled and hit my head. I just had bad luck written all over me!

Suddenly, the door beside me was tossed open and out came an incredibly pissed off Jacob. I don't know what else could've happened that put him in an even worse mood, but he seriously looked like he wanted to punch somebody in the face, and _hard_. "Umm," I tried to ease the tension between us as we walked down the stairs. "so, who'd you get partnered with?"

"Leah Clearwater." he muttered, and I now understood why he was so ridiculously irritated. "Leah freaking Clearwater, Bells! What did I ever do to deserve this from Peterson?!"

"He couldn't have done it purposely." I couldn't think of anything better to say. Was I a terrible girlfriend?

"Yeah, but _Leah Clearwater_?!" Jacob groaned, slapping his hand on his forehead in aggravation. "I seriously didn't even know she was in our class. I asked if I could switch with anyone else, ANYONE, but he refused and said if I got to switch, then every other student should get that opportunity, too."

So, it wouldn't have made a difference if I asked Professor Peterson to switch Edward and I. His mind was set. "But Jake, that whole incident with Leah... that was so many years ago. Sam's gotten over it and you should, too."

"Bella, he's my cousin. We're practically brothers. What she did to him, or rather, what she did to Emily was unforgivable. You just don't do things like that to people, regardless of the situation you're in." He rolled his eyes and laughed with dark humor. "Think if I piss Leah off enough, she'll throw hot water at my face, too?"

I flinched slightly at that remark. I could definitely understand how he felt towards her, but it was in the past... It was years ago. Sam Uley, Jacob's cousin, was dating Leah for about 4 years. When their relationship ended, Sam had started seeing another girl named Emily. Leah, having not been over it, was so angry and hurt and decided to take it all out on Emily. That's where the hot water part supposedly comes in. The right side of Emily's face and arm was proof of that.

"So I have to be married to a psycho for 28 days and my girlfriend is going to be with my worst enemy that she used to be in love with, without me there. I'm about to drop this class, seriously." Jacob kicked a rock on the ground and I hoped he was beginning to cool off a bit.

Wait a second. Did he just say what I think he said? In love, me? With Edward Cullen? "I never used to be in love with him, Jake." I rolled my eyes. Oh, jeez. Hadn't I asked him to not play the jealous boyfriend role? "And again, that was years ago. Can you please drop it?"

"You purposely hit a tree with my bike JUST to see him, Bells. I'd think that was a little more than_ just_ a crush." Jacob laughed, shaking his head.

"Jacob Black, you're being an absolute pain right now." I seriously wanted to kick him for bringing it up. It was the past, for goodness sakes! "And need I remind you I was 16 years old? It was five years ago. You know that's half a decade? I never even talked to him!"

"You never talked to him because you were too busy fantasizing about doing the horizontal shuffle with him. You can't lie to me, Bells, I can read you like—OW!" He yelped out when I kicked his calf. I made _damn_ sure it hurt him, too. How dare he assume something so inappropriate! And why, of all names there are to call it, did he decide on _the horizontal shuffle_? "Bells!" He complained.

"Weren't you the one who said, 'You're mine, so what is there to be jealous of'? You're acting a lot like a jealous boyfriend would, even though you said you had 'jealousy locked down pretty well'." I didn't even know if he was taking me seriously since he was cracking up over my trying to mock him. It wasn't my fault I couldn't mimic the voice of the 21st century's version of Bigfoot himself, Jacob Black.

"Okay, okay." He laughed, pulling me into his arms when we reached my truck. "I'm sorry. I was just kidding. You weren't in love with him and you won't ever be. You forgive me, honey?"

I frowned when his lips pressed onto mine, immediately turning away. "You can't just kiss me and expect everything to be okay after that." I huffed. "I bet you don't even mean it."

"That I'm sorry? Of course I mean it." Jacob kissed my forehead, holding me tighter. "It's just that, of course I'm going to panic a bit. You've gotta understand it from my point of view."

"You have nothing to worry about, Jake. It's not like I'm freaking out over you being with Leah 24/7."

"Maybe because I've never had any kind of interest in Leah like you did with..." he trailed off, noticing I was glaring at him. "Never mind. Okay, okay. You're right. I have nothing to worry about. But you have to keep me updated, okay? That's all I ask."

"Thank you." I heaved a long sigh, wrapping my arms around him. "You're impossible sometimes."

"I know. And thank _you_ for dealing with it." Jacob kissed the top of my head one more time and let me go as he shook his head with a laugh. "I have to go help the wife with packing. Isn't that just great?"

I couldn't help but giggle. "Sounds like tons of fun. Don't piss her off too much, Jake."

"I just won't tell her about you because then you might wake up with a messed up face." That remark got him a smack on the arm as he chuckled. "I'm kidding! Now, give me a kiss."

I reached up on my tip toes and kissed his lips. "I'll call you tonight."

"And I'll answer." He joked while opening the door for me. "Do me a favor and don't fall for him, please."

I rolled my eyes and smiled sweetly at him, touching his face gently. I knew he meant well, even though he was _still_ playing jealous boyfriend. "Do _me_ a favor instead and make sure this face is untouched by boiling water. I might not like you so much anymore if it was." I couldn't hold back my laugh at the look on his face. I didn't even get mad when he swatted my behind as I climbed into my truck.

"I'm serious though. Don't fall for him." Jacob caressed my face through the open window. "I really don't know what I'd do."

"I told you not to worry, Jake. Have more faith in me."

"I have _more than enough_ faith in you." He corrected, flicking my nose softly. "Love you, Bells." He leaned in again and captured my lips, holding me there for a good minute before I broke away.

"Hate to tell you this, but I have to go pack up too, and I'm never going to get there if you keep me here like this. What would your _wife_ think?" I smirked as he laughed loudly, turning the key in the ignition so my truck roared to life.

"Get out of here already, Mrs. Cullen."

"You only want me gone because Mrs. Leah Black is waiting for you."

Finally, I pulled out of the parking lot and caught Jacob laughing his butt off in my rearview mirror as I drove off.

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I parked my truck in the guest lot of the apartment complex, looking back at how much stuff I brought with me. I'd only packed a week's worth of clothes and other belongings. I pulled out my cell phone and punched in the numbers written on the piece of paper I shoved into my pocket earlier.

"Hello?"

"Edward? It's Bella. I'm outside."

"Did you need some help with your things?"

"That'd be nice. Could you? If it's not too much to ask."

"Not at all. I'll be down in a second."

I pushed the end button and took in a deep breath. I was honestly really nervous about the assignment, even though I acted as if it didn't phase me at all. Jacob was the only guy I was ever really comfortable with since I've known him for forever. But as comfortable as I was with him, he and I never talked about marriage or anything even remotely close to it. And now here I was, "married" to Edward Cullen. I knew it was _just_ an assignment but it was still 28 days of basically being bounded to a complete stranger. Of course I was a little uncomfortable.

A sudden knock at my window made me jump a little, but I relaxed when I realized it was just Edward. He backed up as I opened the door. "Hi."

"Hi," he replied, taking a good long look at my truck. "Nice car."

"_I_ think so, but everyone else is kind of skeptical about it." I laughed, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly again. I hadn't even noticed that he already had three boxes stacked atop each other in his arms. I was going to ask if he needed help but he was walking with no problems at all.

He turned his head slightly to meet my eyes. "Shall we?"

I nodded and grabbed the backpack that remained, slinging it over my shoulder. I followed as he made turns and then up a staircase where he unlocked the door.

He put my stuff down and turned to me. "Did you want to unpack now?"

My eyes went to the couch where I noticed the makeshift bed set up. I figured that's where I'd be sleeping. I didn't mind at all. Professor Peterson didn't mention anything at all about being in the same bed, just underneath the same roof at the end of the day.

"That's where_ I'm_ sleeping." Edward practically read my mind. "You think I'd make you take the couch?"

"I really don't mind, I'd feel bad if I took your bed." I put my backpack down on the floor and took a seat on the couch. It was actually really comfortable. I wouldn't mind sleeping on it. "This assignment is a bold one, don't you think? Professor Peterson has some crazy ideas!"

Edward flashed me that crooked grin again as he went into the kitchen. "Yeah, he does. I would've never thought of having to do something like this."

"Me either." His apartment was really nice. It had a very... what was the word, _cozy_ vibe to it.

"So, I have a reservation for dinner tonight at 6. Is that okay?" He asked, wiping his hands on a dish towel.

"For you and me?" I wanted to smack myself in the face after that came out. It was such a stupid question.

He chuckled. "Yeah. So we can get to know each other a little better. Of course, if you have plans, I'll completely understand."

I shook my head. "No, I don't have plans. That sounds great, actually. Thank you."

"Did you want to start getting ready then?" Edward asked, and for some reason it threw me off. "Or are you one of those girls that picks whatever she first touches and just goes out like that?"

I flipped my phone open and realized it was 5:15PM. I didn't know that much time had passed. As soon as I realized something, I was pretty sure my face faltered. Even though I had showered in the morning, it still didn't feel right to go out to dinner and not shower. As much as I wanted to, I felt... embarrassed. Something about showering in another guy's house was kind of, off. Especially since the only things I really even knew about him was that his name was Edward Cullen and that Jacob hated him. "Would it be, umm." I struggled to get the words out. ".._weird_ if I wanted to shower?"

Edward raised a brow and me and laughed. "No. Doesn't everyone take showers?" He leaned against the wall and stared at me with humor in his emerald green eyes. "If it would make you feel better, you can lock yourself in my room and I'll stay out here until you're fully dressed."

That did make me feel a little better. "Aren't you going to shower?"

"I just took one, actually. Right before you came over."

"Oh." I stared at one of the boxes by my feet. "Well... okay then."

"I already put clean towels on the rack, and if you're uncomfortable with using the same soap, there's a whole bunch in the second drawer in there."

I couldn't help but smile at him. Already he was making a lot of effort into making sure I'd be comfortable. "Thank you, Edward. I really do appreciate it."

He smiled back at me. "Dinner's at 6."

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"Order whatever you like, Bella." Edward insisted, his eyes scanning through the menu.

"Are you sure?" I hadn't had Italian food in a really long time. The prices had always made me cringe, so I usually avoided places like this. "Everything is kind of expensive."

"Do you want to embarrass me by not ordering something so everyone will look at me like I'm a prick who can't even afford to pay for two meals?" He joked with a laugh, putting his menu down.

I laughed, too. "Well I guess if you put it that way..."

A few minutes later, a waiter stopped by to take our orders. I ended up ordering the mushroom ravioli and Edward picked the vodka rustica.

"So," Edward started while we waited for our food. "tell me more about you."

"What do you want to know?" I took a sip of the ice cold water in front of me.

He shrugged. "Anything."

I swirled the ice cubes around with my straw, thinking of what to say. "Well. I turned 21 on September 13th, and I work at the Java Monster on Ashbury."

His eyes widened a bit at that bit of information. "The coffee shop? You're a barista?"

"Yeah. I make one hell of a cappuccino too, so don't laugh." I took another sip.

"Interesting," he chuckled, pushing the basket of breadsticks towards me. "Continue."

I took a breadstick and bit the top of it. "I'm really clumsy sometimes. Or well, a lot of the time. My dad, Charlie, is the head of police back in Forks. My mother Renee lives in Phoenix, but she's been doing a lot of traveling with my step father, Phil. Umm. I hate the smell of blood. I can't even stand the sight of it. Everyone tells me I'm a really bad liar and that I put others before myself way too much." I stopped there, hoping I wasn't annoying the hell out of Edward with my life story.

"Here we are," The waiter came back with two plates of food, placing one in front of me and the other in front of Edward. "Now, if you two need anything else at all, just let me know."

I watched the waiter walk off and unwrapped my fork from the napkin it was sitting in. "Did I bore you with all that?"

"Not at all." He laughed, unwrapping his napkin as well. "Can I ask you something though?"

"Sure." I replied, taking a bite of the ravioli. I think I heard angels singing. I'd seriously forgotten how much I liked Italian food.

"Professor Peterson yelled at you and the guy sitting next to you in class today." He stabbed his pasta with his fork. "What were you doing that got you in trouble?"

I took a sip of water and dabbed the edges of my mouth with the napkin. "Passing notes, as juvenile as that may sound. He wrote something funny and I laughed a little too loud."

"I see." Edward's brows furrowed in wonder as he put his fork down. "So, are you two...?"

I chewed the ravioli in my mouth and swallowed. "Dating?" Another sip of water. "Yeah, you could say that. He's my boyfriend."

"Ah, I see." he mused, picking up his fork to start eating again. "For how long now?"

"Well, it's kind of complicated." I started, taking another breadstick from the basket. "See... I've known Jacob since forever. His dad and my dad were close when we still lived in Forks. I never really ever thought of him as anything more than a friend, since we had been friends for so long."

Edward nodded his head to show he was listening as he put more food in his mouth.

"But, we decided, 'hey, why not' and tried it out. It was really weird at first, but it's still the same between us. He's still my best friend even though we're going out now. So to answer your question, we've only officially been going out now for a few months."

"You said his name was Jacob?" He asked, wiping the sides of his mouth with the napkin. "Is he, by any chance, the son of Billy Black?"

I paused for a second, suddenly remembering the whole infamous quarrel that happened centuries ago. "Yeah, he is. How'd you know?"

Edward shook his head and laughed under his breath. "Lucky guess." He stared off at something to the side, drumming his fingers on the table lightly. "All this time he was in my class and I never knew."

"You two haven't met?"

"Nope. Never."

Of course not. Their families were bitter rivals. It's not like Jacob would go and deliver cupcakes to Edward's front door and try to make peace. They were boys. And if Edward's family was anything like Jacob's hot-headed, stubborn family that I knew very well, of course they would've never tried to settle things.

"Is he mad? About us getting paired up for this assignment?"

I took the excuse of food being in my mouth to hesitate with my answer. Once my mouth wasn't full anymore, I decided to just tell him the truth. "Yeah, he was pretty heated when he first found out."

"I can only imagine." Edward laughed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You can trust me, Bella. I won't do anything that'll jeopardize your relationship. It's only a class assignment after all."

I smiled at him. "Thank you." I didn't understand why Jacob hated him so much. Edward seemed like a really sweet guy. He understood this was _just_ an assignment that was worth a huge chunk of our final grade, so why couldn't Jacob get that into his head and stop thinking I was gonna fall head over heels? "So..."

"So...?" He bit into the breadstick that was sitting on the edge of his plate.

"It's your turn to tell me about you now."

Edward put his fork down and swallowed the food he was chewing. "What do you want to know?"

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_**End of chapter two**_

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**Author's Notes:** WHOO! Long chapter, so I hope you guys enjoyed that. Sorry to any of you diehard Leah Clearwater fans out there. I know I made her seem like a total psycho ex girlfriend, but I needed someone to be! Forgive me if I offended anyone. Before anyone asks, **yes** there will be more details about the Edward/Jacob family quarrel, and **YES** this IS an **Edward/Bella **story. Do remember that this is only the second chapter and I've got a lot more to come! So, make me happy and review, pretty pleaaaase? I'd appreciate it greatly. Until next time then!

-- _Burrberry Bugsy_


	3. I Envy You

**Author's Notes:** So, chapter three! I'm really starting to like where this story is going. Thank you to everyone for the reviews! They really do make my day. Hopefully this chapter doesn't fail to disappoint! Oh, and PLEASE do check out my one-shot,_ I Want You to Want Me_ for the **Steamy Movie Crossover contest** being held by Jayeliwood! It's a one-shot of Bella and Edward and the movie I chose was What Happens in Vegas. I know, I know, it's been done before but I wanted to give it a try. Please check it out and if you like it, please vote for it when the time comes? Thank you! :)

Also! Shoutouts to those who gave me heartwarming reviews! Thank you, **yourbrowneyedgirl**, **chloey24**, **PyroWhore**, and **IcelandGirl812**! Don't get me wrong, I love ALL of your reviews and I read every single one. It's just that these were just a little more detailed and I like that! Thank you everyone once again!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight.

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**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Three**

**I Envy You**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it be to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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Edward put his fork down and swallowed the food he was chewing. "What do you want to know?"

"Anything."

"Well," he started off with a sip of water. "I'm 22 years old, but I'll be 23 on June 20th. I'm also working part time at the Northwest Hospital as a medical assistant. I used to work at the hospital in Forks with my father, but he pulled some strings since he knows some people there."

Immediately, I froze. I didn't know whether or not I should mention that I actually already_ knew_ about him working at the hospital in Forks. It was five years ago, so he probably wouldn't remember, right? "You lived in Forks before you moved here, too?"

He nodded and took a bite of the breadstick he was working on. "Yeah. I'm surprised you and I never ran into each other. It's a really small town."

If he only knew how many times I HAD seen him in that hospital. And how many times Jacob teased me for it. From the bed I'd always been lying on, I'd always watch Edward come in and put my x-rays up for Dr. Cullen to check. He'd also do simple things sometimes like take my blood pressure or bandage up some minor wounds. I was there a lot, but I knew he probably didn't remember since I was only one out of how many patients he'd help that day? We never talked either. I'd only spoken to his father. I couldn't bear the embarrassment if I had admitted it, so I just nodded and shoved some ravioli in my mouth to avoid blabbing it out on accident. I really didn't want to seem like a freaky stalker.

"I never got to meet your father, and part of me is glad since he was the head of the police, right?" Edward looked around for our waiter since we both needed refills. "Carlisle knows him well though."

"Your father knows my dad?"

"_Adoptive_ father." He corrected, finally getting the waiter's attention. He pointed to the cups and the waiter went to go get a pitcher of water. "It's a complicated story, but to make things simple, my mother and father both passed away when I was young. I wasn't in a foster home long. Carlisle and Esme, my adoptive mother, took me in a little after my parent's passing."

I never knew that. "Thank you," I whispered when the waiter filled my glass to the brim with iced water, turning my attention back to Edward. "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to bring that up."

"Don't worry about it." He dabbed again at the edges of his mouth with the napkin. "I love Carlisle and Esme dearly. I couldn't have asked for better parents."

My stomach churned. I couldn't talk about this. It was making me feel so terrible since I had no words to say and decided on just changing the subject. "So, you work at Northwest Hospital?"

"Just as an assistant. I was in a training program back in Forks. Carlisle helped me a lot and I just had a liking to it. It's not like I do operations or make people's hearts start beating again. I can give shots, sterilize the medical equipment, authorize drug refills as directed, those kinds of things." His emerald eyes locked on my brown ones. "Someday, I hope I can reach the level that my father is at. I want to save lives, not just assist in saving them. You know?"

I nodded and wondered what my face must have looked like. Amazed, perhaps? Here he was, a 22 year old who pretty much already had his future in his very grasp. He knew what he wanted to do, where he wanted to go with his life, and how he would get there. And here I was, a 21 year old making a little more than minimum wage plus tips working at the coffee shop a couple of blocks from school. I never felt so... I didn't even know the word.

"Did I bore you?" Edward chuckled, tapping the table lightly to get my attention.

"No, not at all." I replied, a little embarrassed that I had been in my own thought bubble and awkwardly folded my hands in my lap. "I'm just so surprised that you already know what you want to do. Why then did you decide to go to the University of Washington? Why not a medical school?"

He shrugged and looked for the waiter again since we were pretty much finished. "Esme asked me the same thing. To be honest, I really don't know. I guess I just wanted to make sure that it was really what I wanted to do first. If I had jumped right into medical school, there'd be no turning back."

"That makes sense." I agreed, taking a sip of my water. I felt bad for deciding to change the subject again, but it was really beginning to make me curious... "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. It's only fair."

I hesitated. "Well, since I told you about Jacob and I... Just curious, are you dating anyone?"

The waiter placed the small leather folder on our table. "Nope."

"You're not dating _anyone_? Not even casually?" I couldn't contain how shocked I was.

He placed his credit card in the flap and handed it to our server. "Give yourself a good tip, you were of great service tonight, sir." Edward told him as he turned back to me, laughing at the tone of my voice. "Is it _that_ shocking?"

"Well... yeah. Kind of." I admitted, laughing a little as well. "Why not?" Was it rude of me to push it so much?

He thought for a second, sliding his jacket back on. "I guess I just haven't met the right one yet."

I rolled my eyes and nudged him lightly from underneath the table with a giggle. "Oh, you're going to pull _that_ line? Come on, Edward! Be a little more realistic. You don't have to get married right away. There's nothing wrong with dating."

Edward, too laughed, and signed the receipt once the folder with his card was placed back on the table. "You ready to go?"

He had totally ignored my question, but I let it slide and picked up my bag. "Thanks for dinner, it was really good. I haven't had Italian in so long!"

"I figured you'd like this place." He held the door open for me when we reached the exit.

"How so?"

"Well... your name _IS_ Bella, so I thought maybe..."

I didn't even hear the rest of his sentence. I was holding my stomach, leaning against his silver Volvo, and laughing way too hard. Like I never heard _that_ one before.

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"Hello?"

"Thought you were gonna be the one to call me?" The person on the other end chuckled jokingly.

I smiled and fell back against the soft queen sized bed, still full from dinner. Even though I'd said over and over that I was fine with sleeping on the couch, Edward insisted on me taking the bed. I couldn't really complain now. It was the most comfortable thing my body had ever come in contact with and getting off was not an option anymore. "Hi Jake. How's everything so far?"

"Not so good." He let out a long sigh. "Leah's in the other room doing some kind of yoga exercise. We haven't really talked. I picked her up, helped her pack and load the things, and then we got to my place and didn't say a word to each other."

"You know, as much as you dislike her, you're going to have to try and talk to her. You're stuck with her for the next four weeks."

"Rub it in, why don't you?" Jake groaned. "She even took my bed. Without asking, if I may add. It's so unfair."

"I'm guessing you're sleeping on the inflatable bed then?"

"Sadly, yes."

I laughed, rolling over on my other side. "I'm sorry."

I heard him chuckle before he spoke again. "So, what'd you and Cullen do? You said you'd keep me updated, remember? So come on, Bells, I'm dying here."

"He took me to dinner so we could get to know each other a little better. Talked about our parents, work, all that kind of stuff. You know he wants to be a doctor?"

Jake was silent on the other end and I was wondering if he was angry. But why? It was just dinner. It's not like we were off intoxicated in a hotel room, attempting the "horizontal shuffle" as he put it earlier. I still shuddered at the idiocy of the words. "Jake, you there?"

"Dinner?" He repeated, sounding a little dumbfounded. "Nothing about 'getting to know each other' and romantic dinners were ever mentioned as part of this assignment."

Jealous boyfriend alert! And I couldn't help but get a little frustrated. "It wasn't for romantic reasons at all, it was just to learn more about each other. Nothing happened. Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust _you_, Bells, it's that damn Cullen I don't trust. And I mean, it's not like I took Leah out to dinner. I mean, seriously, what was the point of that? It was absolutely unnecessary."

I closed my eyes and tried to calm down. "Jacob, will you please _try_ to be mature about this?"

"I _am_ being mature, _Isabella_."

"_Excuse _me?" It surprised me a little to hear my whole name. He'd only used Isabella when he was really frustrated with me, which began to make me frustrated with him. How exactly was it that _I_ was getting on _his_ nerves? I sat up and nearly threw my phone at the wall. "My bad, for a second there, I thought this was my 20 year old boyfriend I was talking to but obviously I was mistaken. All I hear is a jealous, immature prick who's acting ten years minus his age."

Jacob was quiet before he heaved a long sigh. "Okay, okay, that was stupid of me. Sorry. But I told you, you have to understand it from my point of view."

I was trying really hard not to yell. "See _what_ from your point of view, Jake? I'm serious, it was JUST dinner. He knows you're my boyfriend and he already said he wouldn't do anything that would jeopardize our relationship."

He scoffed. "Don't put any kind of trust in him, Bells. His whole family can't be trusted."

Okay, I was seriously annoyed now. I rolled my eyes and switched my phone to the other ear. "You know, I really don't want to listen about this family quarrel crap that occurred hundreds of years ago, so unless you want to talk to me about something relevant, I'm going to hang up." I hoped that wasn't too snotty to say.

I was right about to press the end button but he spoke again. "Wait! Alright. I'm sorry, I really am. Look, I'm new to this jealousy thing. I'm still getting used to the idea of you being with another guy 24/7. It's hard for me." He sighed. "I don't want to lose you."

This, again. "You're not going to. Why don't you believe me?"

"I do." Jake sighed and his voice went a bit lower. "I do, Bells. I believe you. I'll behave, okay? I promise."

I exhaled through my nose and fell back on the bed once again. "Did I ever tell you you're absolutely impossible?"

"All the time." he laughed. "But you've stuck with me even though I _know_ I drive you crazy. Thank you."

"You owe me." I muttered, rubbing my forehead in aggravation.

"How about I take you out to eat? My treat."

"I work tomorrow."

"Before work, after work, anytime you're free. Please? Let me make it up to you."

I threw my legs over the side of the bed and sighed. "Okay, sure."

"I'll call you tomorrow then."

"Bye, Jake." As soon as the other line went dead, I tossed my phone on the other side of the bed. A muffled scream came out of my mouth as I covered my face with my hands. It was really exhausting to fight with Jacob. This was the second time in a few hours that we'd argued over Edward, which I still think was completely uncalled for. So, I used to crush on him back in high school. Big freaking deal. Today was the first time I'd ever talked to him in five years. It was ridiculous and I was seriously heated. A sudden knock snapped me out of my internal fit.

"Bella? Is everything alright in there?" Edward called from the other side of the door. "I heard you scream."

I scrambled off the bed and opened the door, seeing the worry crystal clear in his emerald green eyes. "I'm fine, Edward. I'm really sorry about that." I felt his eyes follow me as I went back to the bed and sat down on the floor, leaning back on its softness.

"Want to talk about it?" He took a seat right next to me and leaned his head back on the bed as well.

"It's just Jacob. He really knows how to frustrate me." I groaned and massaged my temples.

"Argument?"

"I guess you could say that."

"Tell me." He insisted, eyes glued on the ceiling as mine were.

I couldn't admit to Edward that I had a crush on him a couple of years back. It was nothing, sure, but it was an embarrassing type of nothing. It'd also seem kind of freaky and stalker like since he didn't even know I existed back then. I decided on just cutting out some of the details. "Jacob's just... really _hesitant_ about this assignment."

Edward snorted, laughing just a little bit. "You mean he's jealous, right?"

I sighed. "Exactly."

"Bella, has Jacob ever told you about the quarrel our family had gotten into centuries ago?"

God, this again? Really? Now I not only had to hear it from Jacob, but from Edward, too? "Yes, plenty of times. I don't know every detail, but I'd rather not. Can we please not talk about it?"

Edward grinned at my evasiveness and nodded. "That's probably why he's so _hesitant_, as you said, about it."

My brows furrowed as I turned to him. "He should trust me though!"

"Yes, you're right, he should. And I'm sure he does," he ran his fingers through his messy bronze colored hair as he spoke. "but it's not you. It's **me** he doesn't trust."

Which I still thought was stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid jealous boyfriend who was really good at frustrating me.

"Look, Bella, as much as I dislike Jacob Black," He stood up and hovered inches above my face. "I wouldn't ever do something to him that would hurt you in the process because you have absolutely nothing to do with our history."

Did my heart rate just increase? No. My imagination most likely. Either that or I might have been getting heart burn from the Italian. He was close enough that I could see myself reflecting back in his green eyes and I was wondering why he'd decided on talking to me a few inches from my face. "That's what I've been trying to tell Jacob." I was hoping my breath still had some of the mint smell left since I'd just brushed my teeth a while ago. "He's just so stubborn."

Edward laughed and crossed his arms, our faces still a few dangerously close inches away. "Tell your Jacob that he has nothing to worry about," Finally, he straightened his posture and was in an upright position again. "because you felt absolutely nothing just now, right?"

Now I'd known why he'd done it. It was a test. I inhaled through my nose with a smile and shook my head. "Not a thing."

"See?" He flashed his trademark crooked grin at me when he was at the door. "Good night, Bella."

"Night, Edward." As soon as the door was closed, I exhaled and placed my hands over my still rapidly beating heart. I couldn't explain what was making me feel this way, or even why I was feeling the way I did. After a few good minutes of debating with my head, I figured it had to have been nervousness. I was mad at Jacob and Edward was there as a shoulder to lean on. We all know where it could go from there, and that's what I was probably freaking out about. Right? Right.

I climbed into bed and turned off the light, staring at the dark ceiling above my head and awaited sleep to take over my mind and body. One day down, 27 more to go.

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_**End of Chapter Three**_

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**Author's Notes:** Just nervousness, eh? How many of you call bullshit on Bella? I do, I do! Teehee. This can't be a spoiler to any of you since I've been CLEARLY saying this is a Bella/Edward story, but... I sense a break up between two people coming up in the near future. Ooooh! Give it a few chapters, more or less. You'll just have to wait and see! ;)

Speaking of Edward and Bella, the cuteness with them will be coming up soon as well. Give the story and plot time to develop first, please. OH, which reminds me! Someone mentioned in their review about Jacob/Leah. I'm not quite sure yet what I want to do with the two of them, but I guess in time I'll figure something out.

More about the Jacob/Edward drama IN TIME. Please just be patient! Other than that, I thank all of you for the reviews and for continuing to add this story to your alerts and favorites. Keep them coming, pretty please? Until next time then!

One more thing! I mentioned it already, but please check out my SMC contest entry called I Want You to Want Me. I'd love the feedback from all of you! Thank you again!

-- _Burrberry Bugsy_


	4. For Me

**Author's Notes: **Hello again! Thank you all for continuing to add this to your alerts and favorites! Not to mention the reviews I've been getting. Thank you so much for it all! If you hadn't already known, I entered a one-shot into Jayliewood's Steamy Movie Crossover contest and I'd really like it if you checked it out, and even reviewed if possible! It IS a lemon, just to warn you, so if you're not into that, you don't have to check it out.

**Special thanks to:** luvscullenboys, tanis ann, IcelandGirl812, PyroWhore, , chloey24, yourbrowneyedgirl! Your reviews stood out to me, so many thanks! :) And to all of the other reviewers as well! You all make my day and I can't express my gratitude enough! So once again, **THANK YOU!**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight. I wish I owned Edward Cullen, but sadly I do not. (T.T)

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**  
Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Four**

**For Me**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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"Bella."

I wasn't ready to wake up yet. I wanted to stay in this heaven of a bed for the rest of eternity and never have to worry about work, school, or money ever again.

"Bella!"

Reality sucked.

My groggy eyes opened slowly and I was able to make out Edward's form in front of me. He was dressed in the signature light blue hospital scrubs with a white long sleeve underneath and I figured he was probably going to leave to work soon. I rubbed at my eyes and yawned. "What time is it?"

Edward pushed the sleeve of his long sleeve up a bit and looked at his watch. "7:00 AM."

I groaned and fell back on the bed, burying myself in the covers. "Give me two hours."

He chuckled and grabbed his car keys from the desk beside the bed. "I won't be able to wake you up in two hours, I'll still be at the hospital. And don't you have a morning class today?"

"So what? It's just English. And it starts at 9:15." I muttered, shoving the pillow on top of my face to drown out his voice.

Edward yanked the sheets off my body and immediately I missed the warmth. He wasn't going to let me fall back asleep. "You'll thank me." He grabbed my shoulders and shook me a bit, unable to hold back his laugh. "Waaaake up."

"I'm awake, I'm _awake_!" He released my shoulders and I opened my eyes, trying to adjust them to the morning light. "Ugh. Am I going to get woken up like this every day for the next 27 days?"

"If I'm working the morning shift, yes." Edward replied, handing me my cell phone. "Your boyfriend called multiple times, by the way."

I arched my brow and wondered if he had gone through my missed calls list. It was then obvious that he didn't since the front of my screen said in big black letters, **6 MISSED CALLS FROM JACOB**. I groaned again. "He wanted to get something to eat to make up for his hissy fit."

"Wants to kiss and make up I suppose?" He laughed when I hit him with his pillow lightly. "Well, I hope everything with Jacob gets settled. I'll be at work until 6 tonight. Would you be okay with having dinner with me again tonight?"

"Do you treat your guests out to fancy dinners all the time?" I stood up and began fixing his bed.

"Who said anything about it being fancy tonight? I was thinking maybe a home cooked meal instead?" Edward offered, leaning against the door frame.

I fluffed the pillow I'd been sleeping on. "You cook, too? Is there anything you _can't_ do?"

He pretended to think about it for a minute and laughed when I glared at him. "Well, I can't sing karaoke too well."

"Remind me to bring you to sing karaoke someday then. I'd like to see for myself."

Once again he shook his head with a laugh. "I've got to get going. Give Jacob my regards."

"Right," I rolled my eyes and waved goodbye to him as he walked out. Since Jacob had called so many times I figured he wanted to go get breakfast. Why else would he have tried so hard to get in contact with me if he knew I was still asleep? Still a little groggy from sleep, I pressed the "call back" button and held it to my ear with a yawn.

"Hello?"

"Morning, Jake."

"I didn't wake you did I?" he asked, sounding wide awake.

"No. Edward wouldn't let me sleep in." It was probably a bad idea to mention Edward's name so early in the morning, but Jacob asked me a question and I told him the truth. Wasn't honesty always the best policy?

"I see." Jacob snorted, changing the subject. "The reason I called so many times was because I was gonna ask if you had heard anything from Charlie about my dad?"

"Wait, what? Is there something wrong?"

"I don't know. Leah's mom gave her a call yesterday and she said something about my dad being in the hospital. I thought maybe your dad might have called to give you some information?"

"I'm sorry, Jake, but I haven't spoken to him for a few weeks now. Do you want me to call him?"

"No, it's fine. I'm going down to Forks to see him. And," he paused. "Leah's coming with me. She misses her mom and little brother. I might not be able to contact you as much I would want since I'll be at the hospital a lot of the time, is that okay?"

I raised an eyebrow at what he'd just said. Him and Leah were going to Forks without him wanting to run away from her like she had the plague? "Wait. Seriously? You and Leah?"

"It doesn't mean anything, Bells. I just happen to be going back to Forks and she has family there, too, so why not, right?"

"I didn't mean it in a way where I was assuming it would mean anything. I already _know_ it doesn't mean anything, Jake." For some reason, I was getting irritated again. We'd been on the phone for less than five minutes and already I wanted to kick him. "Well. Okay, then. Have fun with Leah. Call me when you get back, alright?"

"_Have fun with Leah_?" Jacob repeated, his tone a little sharper than before. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"There's no secret meaning behind it, I seriously meant to just have a good time with her. To not rip each other's throats out and behave."

He was quiet and exhaled softly. "Oh, alright then. Have fun with Cullen while I'm gone. I'm sure you two will have plenty more of your damned getting-to-know-each-other dinners."

If he had been within a reasonable distance from me, I swear I would've punched him in the face right there. "Why do you get so jealous anyway? We're friends! That's all him and I are."

"He is also a _guy_. Don't forget that. A guy who hates my guts."

"You know, for a guy who _hates your guts_, he's been pretty well behaved and keeps his opinions of you to himself. You could learn a thing or two about maturity from him."

I heard Jacob knock something over and I knew I'd probably struck the wrong nerve when I said it but I honestly did not care. "A little uncalled for, don't you think, _Isabella_?" There it was. My godforsaken full first name again. I knew he was just trying to irritate the hell out of me and it was working.

"Uncalled for? Hm, maybe like your attitude, Jacob? Your absolutely unnecessary and annoying attitude of a five-year old that's been driving me insane?"

"How am I acting like an annoying five-year old? By worrying about my girlfriend living with another guy, that's being _annoying_?"

"By being an over obsessive worrying boyfriend that really has nothing to worry about!" I seethed. I couldn't believe how angry I was getting. We never talked to each other like this. "Like I said earlier, Jake, just go to Forks and I'll talk to when you get back. Have fun."

"I'm sure _you_ will." He snorted.

That did it. I was so aggravated that I actually felt tears welling up in my eyes. My head was screaming with frustration and more than anything I just wanted to curl back into bed and pray this was all some sort of a bad dream. Why couldn't he stop assuming I was such a bad girlfriend? "Dammit, Jake, you've been an absolute ass lately, you know that? I thought, maybe, since we've known each other all our lives, you'd have a little more faith in me about this whole thing!"

There was silence on the other end. I took the opportunity to continue. "I can't focus on doing well with this assignment if you keep making me feel as if this is my fault! It's not like I asked Professor Peterson to pair us up. I wish you'd just _grow_ up and act your age! I can understand you not trusting Edward, but dammit Jacob Black, I'm your GIRLFRIEND. At least trust ME when I say nothing is going to happen!" I shook my head and sighed, tired of arguing. "Go to Forks, Jake. Give Charlie and Billy both my regards. I'll talk to you when you get back."

I didn't even bother to listen to what he had to say and threw the phone to the other side of the room. Almost instantly, he called back but I ignored it. My knees instinctively curled up to my chest as I wrapped my arms around them, blocking out the rest of the world. Jacob and I rarely fought and now it seemed to be a constant occurrence. I couldn't stand it.

"He's an idiot, Bella. I don't know what happened, but he's an idiot."

My head shot up in shock at the extra voice and to my surprise, it was Edward crouched down in front of me, patting my arm gently.

"I left for less than ten minutes because I realized I'd forgotten my work badge. I didn't even make it to my car and now I come back and you're sitting here _crying_?"

I hadn't even realized I was actually crying until I felt his hand brush away the tears that had managed to escape. I couldn't help feeling incredibly stupid then since I was crying over something so goddamn irrelevant. "Did you hear all of that?"

"I heard... you yelling." He sighed quietly and sat down right in front of me. "Want to talk about it?"

I was never more mad at Jacob than I was then. Not only must I have looked like an emotional cry baby since this was the second time in less than 24 hours that I'd been upset, but he'd also heard my overheated fit that I had thrown not even two minutes ago. "Jacob Black is a jackass."

He chuckled and handed me the box of tissues that was on top of his desk. "I already knew that. What happened?"

I took the offered tissues and blew my nose, a little embarrassed at the sound. "He's just being so immature about this whole assignment still. His father is in the hospital back home and he's taking Leah with him. I didn't really care, I was just shocked that they might be getting along. It's a good thing, though. And then, I don't know, it just blew up from there. I didn't want to talk anymore so I said, 'Go to Forks, Jake. Have fun.' and he obnoxiously replies, 'I'm sure YOU will'..."

Edward ran his fingers through his messy bronze hair and shook his head disapprovingly. "_I'm sure you will?_" he repeated, groaning in exasperation. "Jeez, that guy should write a book: How to Offend Women in Five Syllables or Less."

I couldn't help but laugh a little. "Thanks Edward, but shouldn't you be heading off to work?"

He grinned at me whole heartedly and wiped my at my eyes again. "Because of your dim witted, inconsiderate boyfriend, I'd rather not leave you by yourself to feel bad and mope around."

"I'd feel worse if you didn't go to work."

Without breaking eye contact with me, he pulled out his cell phone and hit a number on his speed dial. "Hey, Kate? It's Edward. Could you please do me a favor and ask Emmett to cover my 7:45 shift?"

"Edw—" Before I could protest, he put his hand over my mouth to prevent me from trying to talk him out of it.

"If he asks, tell him something important came up and that I'll cover his shift tomorrow." He smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back, even though he couldn't see. He was so kind-hearted. "Thank you very much, Kate. You, too. Tell Tanya and Irina I said hello." With that being said, he hung up and took his hand off my mouth. "There, see? It's settled. My brother will cover my shift for me."

Emmett Cullen, huh? I hadn't heard too much about his family, actually. I figured I'd just ask him during dinner, when we had a chance to sit down and talk without me being so frustrated at Jacob. And as nice as Edward was to have someone cover his shift, I'd remembered, "I have class at 9."

He shrugged his shoulders and pulled the top part of his medical uniform off, leaving the white long sleeve underneath alone. "Way I see it, you can either: A) go to class at 9, even though you said it's just English. Or, B) play a little hooky and ditch. It's your choice."

In all honesty, going to English was the last thing on my mind. I really had no intention of going after my argument with Jacob, even before Edward had suggested I skip. "I have work at noon."

"I'm not asking you to call in sick for work, I'm asking you to ditch class. There's a difference."

I stared hard at his tried-to-be-sad face for a moment and sighed after a failed attempt at trying to look mad. "Fine, fine. Just stop with those puppy eyes. You make it impossible to even try to say no."

"I'll take that as a compliment." He laughed and helped me to my feet. "Go shower and get ready and I'll take you to breakfast. After that, I'll take you elsewhere and have you at work just in time for your shift."

I raised a brow at him and couldn't help but crack a small smile. He was really good at distracting me from thinking about too much but I figured that's what he was going for.

* * *

"So, where exactly are we?" I asked him, the sweet taste of fresh strawberries still lingering in my mouth. Edward treated me to a place called Table 219, which supposedly had the best French toast in all of Seattle. I couldn't agree more after taking one bite of the crunchy-on-the-outside and soft-on-the-inside bread that was sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with the freshest strawberries I'd ever tasted. It was the best breakfast I'd had in a long time and the conversation we had was a nice addition to it. But now, we were in the opposite direction of his apartment and I couldn't help but be curious as to where we were.

"You'll see."

He unbuckled his seat belt and got out of his car while I did the same. The area of Seattle we were in didn't look familiar at all and I was beginning to wonder what exactly could be inside this building that was getting Edward Cullen so worked up. He held the door open for me and when I went inside, I could've swore I felt my jaw hit the floor at what I saw.

Trampolines. All over the place, too. On the walls, even! I was ready to hightail it out of there, but Edward grabbed me by the waist and I knew escaping was not an option. "Edward, are you absolutely insane?! I told you how clumsy I am. This place is _screaming_ danger, and accidents, and pain for me!"

"That's why I'm here, to prevent you from hurting yourself. Now, come on." His emerald eyes lit up with humor as he shoved me gently to the counter where a short girl with short, spiky black hair was reading a magazine. "Hey, Alice."

Her head perked up at the sound of her name and she smiled warmly. "Edward!" She ran around the counter and gave him a big hug, having to get on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his shoulders. "What are you doing here? You don't have work?"

"I had Emmett cover my shift for me."

I noticed the girl named Alice staring at me with her head tilted to the side before she spoke, "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Alice, this is my friend, Bella. Bella, this is my sister, Alice."

To my surprise, Alice smiled and wrapped her arms around me as well. "Nice to meet you, Bella!"

"Nice to meet you, too, Alice." I laughed and decided to hug her back.

"Edward," she sounded a little frustrated when she finally let go of me. "this is your wife, right?"

My eyes widened. "Oh, no, no! It's just—"

Edward's loud chuckle and Alice's tinkling laugh caught me off guard. "Don't worry, I was just kidding, Bella. I already know about the assignment Peterson gave you guys. He gives it every single year."

That surprised me. I'd never seen Alice around campus... But then again, I never usually stuck around long enough to really notice anyone, actually. "Do you go to University of Washington also?"

"Sure do," Alice replied, going back to her position behind the counter. "But there'll be plenty of time to talk some other time. You guys came to Sky High for a reason. Don't even worry about the waivers or the bounce fee, Edward. Just go in and have a good time, and let me know if you need anything at all."

"Thanks Alice." Edward said with a smile, nudging me to follow him. "Save the questions for later. I'll tell you everything at dinner, don't worry."

"It was nice meeting you, Bella!" She called out as we walked inside the huge room that had every inch surfaced with trampolines.

I stared in horror. There were kids jumping all around, toppling over each other and I felt my stomach knot and twist up. "I _really_ don't think this is a good idea."

Edward rolled his eyes. "You'll be fine. I won't let you get hurt."

It never occurred to me that when he told me to dress comfortably, I'd be reaching for the ceiling and bouncing off walls, literally. "I don't think even _you_ could keep me from hurting myself. I'm an accident magnet."

I felt that same electric shock from last night run through my body as he grabbed my hand in his. "Bella, in every relationship, you get one opportunity to say, 'I need you to do this for me'. And there's only one answer when somebody says that."

I arched a brow at him again, staring at him with question marks written all over my face. "We're not in a real relationship, Edward."

"I beg to differ," He laughed, holding up his left hand to show me the blue 25 cent ring. "For the next 27 days at least. I know it's just an assignment, but come on, Bella! I'm trying to get you to do something fun here! I'm running out of things to say."

I laughed too, tightening my hand in his grip nervously. The last thing I wanted was for Jacob to wave his finger in my face and scream he was right all along. "But Jacob—"

"—is an inconsiderate boyfriend, which is why I brought you here. And, you won't be doing anything wrong. It's not like this is anything remotely close to cheating on him, right? We're just jumping." Edward flashed that damn crooked grin. "You'll feel much better after, I promise."

I knew it was stupid to be so scared of _trampolines_ of all things, but knowing my luck, I'd walk out of this place with broken limbs and a bruised up face. I knew Edward meant well and was trying really hard to get my mind off Jacob. I let out a heavy sigh and smiled back at Edward, jokingly holding up my hand to show my pink ring. "I'll do this for you, because I feel like I owe you for skipping work."

He sighed in relief and took his first step onto the trampoline, bouncing before I could even blink. "Then, come on!"

I inhaled a breath and held it, stepping onto the trampoline beside him, wobbling slightly. "I'm going to fall. You know that right?"

"No, you won't, trust me! Now just let loose and jump!"

My eyes followed him as he jumped high into the air. He was having fun, and I knew I was only bringing him down. _Trust me_, he had said. And even though I had only known him for two days, even though I really didn't know much about him at all, something inside of me _wanted_ to trust him.

And so, I jumped after him.

* * *

"Told you that you wouldn't get hurt." Edward laughed as he opened the door for me.

"I cannot believe how much fun that is!" I squealed like a little girl who had just gotten an Easy Bake oven for Christmas. "We have to go again sometime!"

"Who knew that the accident magnet, Bella Swan herself would be in love with jumping on trampoline-lined walls?" He joked, pulling out of the Sky High parking lot.

"I know." I agreed, leaning back into the passenger seat with a delighted sigh. "It was so much fun though. I never knew jumping around for three hours could be so great!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"I did. I really did." The three hours of excessive bouncing and jumping was beginning to sink in as I felt a dull, burning ache in my inner thighs. "Crap. I think I'm going to be sore within a few hours."

"You _will_ be." Edward said calmly, a hint of humor in his voice. "You're only a first time Sky Higher. You'll feel the burn soon enough."

"It's already started." I laughed, rubbing at my legs.

"We're here," He pulled his silver Volvo into a spot right in front of Java Monster. At least I wouldn't have to walk too far. But then again, I had a four hour shift on my feet waiting for me inside. Either way, I was going to be aching.

I grabbed my work attire and Java Monster's signature turquoise apron from the backseat and sighed. I was hoping I didn't smell gross from the Sky High session. "I don't smell, do I?" I tried to hide my blush as he leaned in closer towards me, taking a whiff.

"You smell... like freesia and lavender, if that's what you're asking."

Phew, I didn't smell.

"So you get off at...?"

"Four." I answered, pulling my hair back into a ponytail.

"I'll be here then."

I nodded while unbuckling my seatbelt and reached over to open the door.

"Oh, and Bella?"

As I turned, Edward was now a closer distance to me as he leaned in and gently pressed a chaste kiss to my cheek. "Thank you for doing that for me today. It meant a lot that you trusted me enough." He turned the key in the ignition and his Volvo purred back to life. "I'll see you in a few hours."

I couldn't get my mouth to speak as I climbed out of the car and rushed inside, not even bothering to greet my coworkers as I sped to the back. Once I was alone and out of sight, I let out a long, heavy breath and pressed my back up against the wall.

My heart was going a million miles an hour. I placed my hand over my mouth and tried to steady my breathing. It was the same feeling as last night, just multiplied by three.

And this time, I knew damn well it wasn't nervousness that was making me feel what I was feeling.

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_**End of Chapter Four**_

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**Author's Notes:** So, there we go! Chapter four, and Bella's no longer in denial! Can I get a woot woot? Haha! So for all of you who'd like to know, I live in California and Sky High is a real place! You can check it out at www(dot)jumpskyhigh(dot)com if you want to get an idea of how I tried to describe the place as in this chapter.

Bella and Jacob aren't broken up yet (emphasis on the yet!), but they aren't on good terms either, as you could obviously tell. Be patient everyone, the Bella/Edward bits are coming very soon! :)

I tend to write really long author's notes, so I'll just cut it here! If you have any questions, you're more than welcome to ask. I'd be happy to answer!

Remember to try and read _I Want You to Want Me_, please! I'd love it so much if you did!

PLEASE ALSO REMEMBER TO REVIEW! Until next time then!

--_Burrberry Bugsy_


	5. Crushcrushcrush

**Author's Notes:** So, a few of you were asking about me writing in Edward's POV. I was actually thinking about doing that while I was developing the story in my head. Rest assured, you WILL get Edward's POV quite a bit in the near future, so just be patient with me, please?

Other than that, many thanks again for all the reviews and adds to your alerts and whatnot. I was able to hit 100! Barely, but 100 reviews nonetheless! Whoo! I know it may not seem like much compared to the other stories on here with thousands upon thousands of reviews, but 100 makes me just as happy. So again, my many, many thanks to everyone!

**Special thanks to:** **yourbrowneyedgirl**, **SeekingInspiration**, **laceyndom**, **awsmtxn**, **PyroWhore**, **Lilly Cullen**, **TwiDi**, and of course **IcelandGirl812**! You guys really give me heartfelt reviews and I'm loving that! Again, don't think I don't read your reviews if your name isn't here. I read every review I get, and I appreciate every single one. You're all awesome! Don't feel intimidated to PM me either with questions, concerns, etc. I'm friendly and I promise I won't bite :)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight. Don't sue me, pleaaase.

* * *

**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Five**

**Crushcrushcrush**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it be to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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"I have an iced, non-fat mocha cappuccino with two pumps of hazelnut!" I put the drink on the counter and smiled as the customer came to get it. That was one thing I didn't like too much about my job. I always had to smile. _Always_. "Have a great day!"

Ever since I left his silver Volvo, all I could think about was that unexpected and most likely insignificant kiss he'd placed on my cheek. As much as I didn't want to admit that I liked it, I _did_, and I knew it was wrong. "Bad, Bella. Bad." I muttered to myself as I threw the ingredients together to make a cinnamon cappuccino. Regardless of the fact that he was the biggest ass ever, he was still my best friend. And boyfriend. I knew he wouldn't be too thrilled to find out about what Edward had done - even though it probably meant absolutely nothing - and I decided to just keep it to myself.

"Bella, is everything okay?" My coworker Angela asked, handing me a cup and lid for the drink I was making. "You seem kind of... skittish."

I poured the hot liquid into the cup and covered it. "I've got a medium cinnamon cappuccino!" The customer came to get her order and thanked me before walking out. "What do you mean skittish? I'm fine."

Even with her glasses on, I could see Angela eye me suspiciously as I wiped my forehead. There weren't any customers coming in anymore and for that I was glad. No customers meant a short break. "Really, Ang, I'm fine."

She nodded and began wiping down the counter. "So, how's you and Jacob? Everything good?"

I hesitated. "We got... into a small argument earlier. But it's okay. He's in Forks right now so I just decided to let him enjoy his time there and that I'd talk to him when he gets back."

"I'm sure everything will be alright." Angela smiled at me before going back to work on the counter. "How about the marriage assignment for your Anthropology class? How's that going?"

I hesitated again. "It's... _interesting_." I knew it was definitely a vague answer, but I couldn't think of anything else to say. "Edward's a really nice guy."

"It's not awkward living with him when you're in a relationship with Jacob?"

"No, not at all. Edward makes a lot of efforts to make sure I'm comfortable and we both established that this is just an assignment and nothing more." I tightened my ponytail and rinsed off the blender in the sink. "He gave me the bed and took the couch."

"Wow," Angela mused, straightening the stack of cups by the register. "He seems like a total gentleman."

"He is." I agreed. "I know the whole purpose of this assignment is to experience the reality of marriage and all its trials and tribulations, but it's almost effortless with Edward. It's so easy to get along with him."

Angela smirked a little and raised a brow at me. "Effortless, eh? Maybe you two were meant to be." She joked and laughed at the expression on my face. "I'm kidding, Bella! But really, you think _Edward Cullen_ is easy to get along with?"

"You don't?"

"I think he'd... be intimidating to talk to. He seems so serious all the time."

That surprised me. The Edward I'd been spending time with and the Edward she knew of were probably two very different people.

"Speaking of Edward Cullen..." Angela trailed off, her eyes glued to the door.

I looked where she was looking, surprised to see none other than Edward himself. "Edward, what are you doing here?" Was it already four o' clock? It didn't even feel like it.

"Thought I'd drop by and try that _one hell of a cappuccino_ you mentioned yesterday." He chuckled. "And you're off in fifteen minutes, so I figured why not kill two birds with one stone?"

My eyes narrowed as I grabbed a medium cup off the stack Angela had fixed. "One signature Bella Swan cappuccino coming right up. Oh by the way, Edward this is Angela. Angela, that's Edward."

He made idle chatter with Angela as I threw together his drink and I couldn't help but wonder what our plans were for the rest of the day. He didn't have to work and it was still too early for dinner. "Here you go." I said as I handed him the hot drink with a smirk. If I could be conceited about any one thing, it would be my cappuccinos.

"How much?" Edward asked, reaching for his wallet.

"It's on me." I smiled, waiting for him to be dazzled at the taste of it.

"Bella, you only have less than fifteen minutes left in your shift, and Jessica should be coming back from her break any minute now. I can handle it until then, go ahead." Angela encouraged, waving me off.

"Are you sure, Ang? I don't mind staying."

"Nonsense, just go and give me a call if anything?"

I smiled and untied the turquoise apron I had on. "Thanks, Angela."

"See you, Bella! Nice meeting you, Edward."

"Nice meeting you as well, Angela." Edward replied with a wave as he held the door open for me and took a long sip from the cup. His face was unreadable and I was pretty much dying to know if he approved of it or not.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

I huffed with a laugh and rolled my eyes. "Is it good? Do you like it?"

"It's horrid. It tastes like dirt and I think I burned my tongue."

My stomach dropped and I don't think disappointment could've been any clearer in my face. I was so confident about my signature drink. Everyone who ever tried it gave me nothing but compliments.

"I'm kidding, Bella! Calm down!" He laughed loudly as we got into his car and put the drink into the cup holder. "It's absolutely delicious, I promise."

"You're such a jerk!" I sighed, buckling my seat belt. "I believed you for a second!"

"I _did _burn my tongue, though. If that makes you feel any better." Edward joked as he pulled out of his parking spot.

"It does. You deserve that." I noticed then his eyes were glued to me. "Hey! Keep your eyes on the road!"

"If you say you forgive me."

"Alright, alright, I forgive you." I groaned as he smirked and focused on the street in front of him. "...jerk."

"Fair enough." He took another sip of his drink, smiling right after. "Mm, signature Bella Swan cappuccino. Yum."

"Your first and last one, you kiss up." We both laughed as I pulled my hair out of its tight ponytail, finally relaxing into the seat.

* * *

"Northwest Hospital?" I questioned as we headed inside. "I thought you didn't have work?"

"I don't." Edward smiled and greeted some of the nurses and doctors who were passing by. "But my brother wanted to see what - or rather, _who_ - was so important that forced him to cover my shift."

We stopped a few feet away from a tall dark haired guy in the same scrubs Edward had on earlier, pounding the side of a vending machine. It made me wonder if his food was stuck, or if he was just trying to get something to fall so he could snack on something for free.

"Your Doritos get stuck again, Emmett?" Edward joked as the vending machine abuser turned around.

"This machine hates me. My food ALWAYS gets stuck."

"Then why do you continue to waste your money using it?"

"_Faith_, Edward. I know one day it'll accept my coins and let my food fall." He laughed and started towards us, eyeing me with a raised brow. "A _chick_ is the reason why I had to cover your shift?"

"Have a little more respect, would you? Bella, this is my brother Emmett."

I took a step forward to shake his hand, but being the clumsy oaf I was, I tripped on my foot and stumbled into Emmett's huge chest. He made sure I was steady on my feet as I smiled and rubbed my arm awkwardly. "Hi. Sorry about that, I'm a little clumsy."

"I noticed," He chuckled. "So has my dear brother been nice to you, Bella?" Emmett caught Edward in a headlock, laughing loudly as he noogied his head. "Edward, you dog, you! Skipping work to hang out with a girl. I've never been more proud of you than now."

"Stop, you meathead!" Edward snorted, shoving his brother off him. "It's not like that. And what the hell is wrong with your arms anyway? They feel like they have metal plates in them."

"No metal plates. I'm all natural, baby." Emmett sang while flexing his biceps. "Hey Bella, you want tickets to the gun show?" He pointed to his arms and wagged his eyebrows at me. I couldn't help but laugh at his sense of humor. Edward didn't seem too pleased though. "I'm joking, Edward, liven up a little!" He turned to me and nudged me lightly. "Sorry, Bella. Show's sold out. Rose bought all the tickets."

"Who's Rose?" I asked, my curiosity suddenly piqued.

"Rosalie Hale, my girlfriend. She loves these giant biceps of mine."

"Really? She tells me you're a meathead all the time, too." Edward chuckled, dodging a punch from his sibling.

"I'm not a meathead."

"Could've fooled me."

I laughed at the way they both talked to teach other, combing out the tangles in my hair as I continued to listen to them bicker. I'd always wondered what it'd be like to have siblings.

"As much as I'd like to stick around, I've got work to do." Emmett said, locking his enormously large arm he'd been boasting about around me. "Stop by again anytime, Bella. If you need any kind of, you know, _protection_, you can always ask me for—OW!"

"CAN it, Emmett!" Edward growled after punching his brother hard in the back of his head.

"I meant, like, medical protection! Bandaids, gauze, all that good stuff. We've got plenty of it in the back, I'm just looking out for her, she said it herself - she's clumsy!" He tried to explain, but Edward wasn't buying it and neither was I. "Alright, alright! Stop looking at me like that. You know, I could've done without the blow to my head. I'm working, remember? You could've just told me to shut up." He laughed, brushing imaginary dust off his hospital scrubs. "Come visit Rose and I at home sometime, Edward. She hasn't seen you in a while."

"If your mouth is duct taped and you're locked in a closet, I might consider it."

"Harsh!" Emmett joked, clutching jokingly at his heart. "Alright, I get the picture. See you, Edward! Nice meeting you, Bella!"

I waved goodbye and followed Edward as we exited the hospital and back to his car. "He's... different from you and Alice."

"We're all adopted."

My mouth made a small "o" shape as I climbed into the passenger seat, noticing that the atmosphere between us suddenly felt very awkward. "Sorry."

"It's fine. He's just a handful sometimes." Edward grumbled while shaking his head. "Damn meathead."

* * *

My eyes stared down in shock at the meal Edward had whipped together in an hour. I didn't get to see him cook it since I'd decided on showering first, so I didn't know exactly what it was. All I knew was that it looked like a picture straight out of a cookbook and smelled mouthwatering.

"An herb crusted filet of salmon with a lemon asparagus sauce and a side of garlic mashed potatoes." He said as he picked up my glass and filled it with a just a bit of red wine. "If you don't want the wine, you can always have water."

I smiled and waited for him to pour himself a glass. "Thank you. It looks and smells delicious."

"It'll taste delicious, too. Go ahead and eat." He laughed, as I poked my fork into the salmon. "Oh and, sorry about my brother, again."

"Don't worry about it. I like him, he's funny." I put the food into my mouth and suddenly decided that from now until the end of the month, Edward would be making most of the meals.

"Is it good?" Edward questioned, taking a small sip from his wine glass.

I couldn't even speak since I had too much food in my mouth. I merely nodded and gave him a thumbs up, smiling as he chuckled out loud.

"So... Have you talked to Jacob yet?"

"He's called, a lot." I admitted, poking at the mashed potatoes. "Left voicemails. And he's been texting every hour, pretty much."

"Sounds like he feels bad."

"Yeah, but, right now I'm still too heated to talk to him."

He nodded and put his elbows up on the table, resting his chin atop his knuckles. "When is Jacob coming back from Forks?"

I shrugged and swallowed the food I'd been chewing. "I'm not sure. A few days, probably."

"I see." Edward trailed off. "So, have you been doing that daily log thing Professor Peterson suggested we do?"

I could already tell he was just trying to change the subject since I'd made it clear I really didn't want to talk about Jacob Black. Thank goodness. "I haven't started on it. Have you?"

"Yeah, I started it."

Of course he'd already started on it. This was Edward Cullen I was talking to. Why did I even bother asking? "Did you write a whole bunch of, 'I am absolutely miserable! Isabella Swan drives me crazy. Her overprotective boyfriend drives me even more crazy! I'm going to jump off my rooftop!' stuff?" I laughed.

"You've been reading my entries, Bella?"

My eyes narrowed and I wanted to fling mashed potatoes at his face when he started laughing. He always pulled some kind of a joke on me and it wasn't fair. "That's not funny."

He was about to say something, but my cell phone began ringing and the name that showed was definitely a phone call I didn't want to screen. I held a finger to my lips to let Edward know I was actually going to pick it up, "Hello?"

"Bells." It was my father, Charlie. "Mind explaining to me why Jake's back with _Leah Clearwater_ instead of my only daughter that I haven't heard from in weeks? Don't tell me you two split already."

I mouthed "I'll be right back" to Edward and walked into his room, closing the door behind me. "No, Dad, we haven't split up. It's just a class project for Anthropology." I'd decided on leaving out the detail of Jacob and I getting into an argument so I didn't worry him any further. "But, how are you? Are you eating well?"

"Nothing compares to your meals, but I'm managing."

I smiled and sat on Edward's bed. "That's good to hear."

"I umm, I miss you, Bells. Do I have to be in the hospital in order for my daughter to see me or what?" He laughed jokingly.

"No, because then I'd drive blind sighted with tears!" I joked back, suddenly realizing how much I really _did_ miss Charlie. It made me miss Renee too, so I made a mental note to give her a call sometime soon. "How about I come see you tomorrow? I'll cook dinner for you and everything."

"You have class, don't you?"

"At around 3, but it ends at 5 or earlier. And even though the drive is about three hours, I know you're always up late watching your beloved television. I'll even spend the night and leave in the morning to make it to class in time." I continued before he could interrupt. "And if you're not comfortable with me driving alone, I'll take Edward with me. He's my partner for the assignment."

This seemed to catch Charlie off guard. "_Edward_? Dr. Cullen's boy?"

"Yeah, he's a nice guy, Dad. He can make sure I get to Forks safely, and he can even visit Dr. Cullen. So it'd benefit us both, right?"

"You have a point..." He was quiet for a few seconds before continuing, "Alright. That sounds like a plan. I mean... I've been missing you so much, I'll take any offer I can get."

My heart warmed. Charlie was never one to express his feelings easily, so I knew that by him admitting he missed me was probably taking a lot out of him. "Of course, Dad. I'll be there tomorrow, I promise. I love you."

He coughed a little, probably feeling awkward since we were having a very sentimental father-daughter moment. "Uhh... Love you, too, Bells. See you tomorrow."

I hung up the phone and headed back to the dining table. Honestly, I was really looking forward to seeing my father. It felt like too long and hearing his voice just wasn't enough.

"Everything okay?"

I still had tears glistening in my eyes from talking to Charlie, so I decided to use that to my advantage. Payback time. "That was... Jacob."

Edward put his fork down with concern written all across his face. "And?"

"He told me that he simply, prefers Leah."

It suddenly looked like Edward was going to flip the table over and drive to Forks to bash Jacob's face in. "Are you _kidding_ me?! That bastard makes you cry how many times, accusing _me_ of being the one to ruin your relationship and he decides on being with her?! That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

I merely nodded and returned to my meal. It was still just as a good, just a little more cooled down.

"How can you be so calm about this, Bella? I'm going to rip his throat out for hurting you—"

"Edward," I calmly said, washing down the food I'd just swallowed with a sip of wine. "I was kidding."

His fury blazed eyes returned to their normal forest green as he slowly sat back down. "That wasn't funny."

"_That wasn't funny_," I mimicked with a laugh. "Just like you saying my cappuccino was dirt and that all you've been writing in your daily log was about you being miserable and wanting to jump off the roof? Not that hilarious either, you know."

I relaxed a little when his laugh filled the room. At least he wasn't mad. "So now we're even, Edward."

"Fine." He agreed, shaking his head with humor. "So if it wasn't Jacob, who was it then?"

"My father."

"Chief Swan?" Edward asked, his brow raised at me. "Is everything alright?"

"Just the normal case of a father missing his daughter." I replied, putting my fork down. "I decided on visiting him tomorrow night. Then I'll drive back the following morning for class. And..."

"And...?"

"I was wondering if you'd come along?"

Edward sighed and swallowed his food. "I have work AND class tomorrow, Bella."

Oh, that's right. I'd forgotten since Emmett covered his shift, he'd have to return the favor tomorrow. Right after work was Professor Peterson's class and I'm sure Edward would be way too tired by then to take a three-hour trip on the road to Forks. "Ah, I completely forgot. It's fine then, that was my mistake."

He chuckled and ran his fingers through his bronze hair. "If you'd let me finish, I was going to say I'd be happy to come along. It'll give me a chance to visit Carlisle and Esme. I haven't seen them since the semester started."

"Really, you'll come?" I couldn't contain my excitement. As much as I loved my truck, I didn't trust it enough to take me safely to Forks. It couldn't even go five minutes on the road without making some kind of a scary noise that always made me think I'd end up pushing it to the closest gas station. Getting to Forks in one piece would definitely be easier with Edward's Volvo.

Edward nodded and took my plate and his to the sink. "You can pay Jacob's father a visit, too. You said he was in the hospital, right?"

I had never thought of that, actually. But it was definitely a good idea. I'm sure Jacob did indeed give his father my regards, but seeing Billy and wishing him well myself was probably much better anyways.

"I'm going to head to bed soon, I have work at 5AM tomorrow."

Guilt hit me like a ton of bricks as I stood up and took the wine glasses over to him. "I'm sorry again for being the reason that you didn't work today."

"It's not like you made me call Emmett to cover my shift, Bella. You were actually trying to get me to go, remember?" He turned and flashed that damned smile that always seemed to make my heart skip a beat or two. Stupid heart. Stupid, stupid!

"Right." I laughed, watching as he rinsed the soap bubbles off the dishes. It seemed rude to just stand and stare, so I grabbed the dish towel beside me and wiped them down before putting them away.

"If you aren't going to be heading to bed anytime soon, may I suggest you get started on your daily log?"

"It's recommended, but not required." I quoted Professor Peterson as I put the last dish away. "But, I guess it'll help me in the long run, so I'll get to it tonight."

Edward nodded and brushed stray strands of hair that had fallen in front of my face. I knew he didn't purposely mean to make me feel the way I was feeling when he did something as petty as that. It felt like the feelings of my high school crush coming right back to laugh at me.

"Sleep well tonight, Bella."

I steadied myself, screaming Jacob's name repeatedly in the back of my head. "You, too, Edward. And," It was bold of me to do so, but if he could do it without meaning anything, I could too, right? I reached up on my tip toes and let my lips touch his cheek gently. "thank you again for making me feel better today. And for agreeing to come with me to Forks tomorrow." Before I could even let him say "You're welcome", I dashed out of the room. As I turned, my peripherals allowed me to catch a glimpse of him looking a bit stunned with his hand resting on the cheek I'd kissed. I couldn't tell if it was a bad thing or a good thing, but I really didn't want to know.

_Jacob, Jacob, Jacob_, I tried to remind myself once I'd gotten in the room with the door locked behind me. But instead, it was coming out as _Edward, Edward, Edward_. I groaned and slapped my forehead, falling face first onto the bed. I was a terrible girlfriend, who seriously had to get her head together – and fast.

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_**End of Chapter Five**_

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**Author's Notes:** Yay for chapter five and Emmett's introduction! Sorry if this chapter was a little uninteresting. The next one will be much, much better and you'll have to wait and see why! I know the Edward and Bella fluff is minimal right now, but you have to remember they just met AND she has a boyfriend. It gets better from here trust me! You definitely don't want to miss the next chapter :)

And for those of you who haven't already seen, I have a new story up called _Your Healing Touch_. I'm really enjoying writing that one so far. I know that idea has been before, but I'd like it if you gave it a shot! Please? That one's next in line to be updated. Whoo!

Okay, so that's pretty much all I have to say for now. Any questions, concerns, or comments in general? Feel free to state them in a review, or even a private message if you feel you should do so. Please make me happy and review! Until next time then!

--_Burrberry Bugsy_


	6. Don't Look Back

**Author's Notes: **Thank you all for continuing to read this! I'm used to updating this every couple of days or so, but it might have to be about once a week after this because winter break is over and I finally have to go back to school. Yay, college. Not really. Sigh. So hopefully this chapter satisfies what you guys have been waiting for - ahem - Edward's POV :)

Before I wrote the first chapter, I was debating between whether to write this all in Bella's POV or to throw Edward's in there sometimes. I decided since I love Edward's character so much, I'd put his thoughts in here as well. I hope you all enjoy!

**SPECIAL THANKS TO**:** ReachingAsIFall**, **Little-french-Prongs**, **TwiDi**, **Sunfeathers**, **Rltsweetie22591**, and **waterrockz**! Thank you so much! I'd also like to give my many more thanks to three reviewers who seem to always give me long, heart-warming reviews: **yourbrowneyedgirl**, **PyroWhore**, and last but not least, my "GoldStar Reviewer" **Erica **aka** IcelandGirl812**! May I be a little forward and say **I LOVE YOU ALL**? :)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Twilight. Or well, I have the books because I bought those... but uh, yeah. I'm sure everyone else has the books, too, but that's not the same thing as... Never mind, I'm rambling. Okay, onto the story now. Haha.

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**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Six**

**Don't Look Back**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it be to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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**Edward Cullen**

"Edward, do me a favor, please?" My father was holding his clipboard in hand, scribbling and flipping through the papers attached. "One of my patients just got into some type of a motorcycle accident. Her injuries are minor since she wasn't speeding. She just hit a tree with the front of the bike. So, I just need you to dress her wounds. Can you do that for me while I get her x-rays ready?"

"Sure."

"Thanks, son." He handed me the clipboard he was holding and I made my way to the room he asked me to go to. I never imagined I'd be so lucky. I mean, I'd just turned 18, graduated from high school, and there I was, working as my father's assistant on a summer internship. I was blessed to have such an inspiring person such as Carlisle to lead me in the right direction. If not for him, I would've never discovered how much I loved working in the medical field.

I knocked on the door lightly, opening it just a crack to get my head in. I could tell she was flushed, regardless of all the little nicks and cuts on her face. Probably embarrassed with her situation at hand, I was guessing. Truthfully, she didn't look like the type who'd drive recklessly with a motorcycle at all. "Dr. Cullen will be back shortly with your x-rays. I'm just going to dress your wounds to save him some time."

She nodded her head as I took a seat next to her and asked her to hold her arm out. I felt her jerk in pain to the diluted iodine solution I was pouring onto her open wound, mumbling apologies since I knew it was probably burning like the fiery pits of hell itself.

We mostly stayed silent the whole time, with the exception of a few apologies and quiet murmurings of her saying it was fine here and there. Once I'd finished on the open wounds, I moved to the scratches on her face, wiping with a warm towel to remove the dried blood. "I heard it was a motorcycle accident?" I was trying to make small conversation but I guess she just wasn't in the mood. She just nodded and looked elsewhere as I dabbed ointment on the small nicks. "You don't look like the type who'd even spare a glance at a motorcycle, let alone _ride_ one."

She seemed baffled at my words, her cheeks immediately turning a shade of pink. I don't know why I kept pushing at a conversation, but there was something about her I was unable to ignore. I couldn't quite pinpoint it. "I didn't mean it in a bad way, I just..." A wave of embarrassment washed over me and I decided to just shut up. Obviously she was upset, which was understandable to say the least. She'd gotten into an accident with a motorcycle of all things, and her parents were probably going to chew her out. It wasn't my place to intrude; I was only an assistant after all. "The doctor will be with you shortly." I gathered everything and left without another word.

I thought I wouldn't see her again but I was wrong. As a matter of fact, she seemed to be very accident-prone. She had plenty more visits to the hospital after that and every time she'd come in, I'd take care of her smaller problems with Carlisle taking over from there. Her and I never spoke. It was hard not to try and initiate conversation since I saw her almost every week, but I figured if she wanted to talk to me, she eventually would. But she never did. And that's when I decided _I_ was going to talk to her. No excuses.

It was one particular day in August where I made the decision to at least introduce myself and wish her my regards since I knew from her records that she was going to be starting her senior year in high school. My summer internship was coming to an end and college was right around the corner. I knew I should've just chosen a medical school, but I'd decided on a four-year college instead, so I'd have time to shuffle through my options if I ever changed my mind.

It was routine for me already, and I didn't need Carlisle to tell me he needed me to take her blood pressure or change the dressing on her wounds or whatever different task it was. I was used to it. But, I wanted to tell her goodbye somehow since I knew the chances of running into her again were slim. I'd be off to college in Seattle and she'd still be here and who knows where after high school. The very least I could do was tell her my name.

When I opened her door, I almost apologized for walking in on a conversation I knew I probably wasn't supposed to hear.

"You're going to give me a heart attack, Bells! What the hell were you thinking?!"

"Calm down, Jake. We're in a hospital and there are people sleeping. Keep your voice down."

"How am I supposed to be calm? You told me you could handle riding the bike again. I thought that meant, oh I don't know, you actually SITTING on top of it and _riding_ it instead of eating gravel as you slide across the road!"

"I'm fine. Really, I am. I thought I could do it, but I guess maybe next time will work out better."

"No. No more 'next time'. I let it slide the first time you got into an accident. But this time, no. I care about you too much!"

My head turned the other way and I forced myself to stop listening. I don't know what it was, but the part of me that wanted so desperately to talk to her slowly crept its way back down my body. Apparently, they both hadn't heard me so I shut the door as quietly as I could and walked down the hallway, stopping one of the nurses that had worked with my father a lot. "Ms. Yorkie, my father wanted to know if you could get the diagnosis for one of his patients - Isabella Swan. She's in room 202."

"Sure thing, Edward." She replied with a smile as I handed her the clipboard.

_Of course_ she had a boyfriend. Why wouldn't she have one? My fingers ran through my disheveled hair as I pushed the doors of the hospital open and took a deep breath of the fresh air. _Hi Isabella_, _I'm Edward_. I ran the words I had planned to say to her through my head. _I know we don't know each other at all, but for some reason, this whole summer I've been drawn to you. This is bad timing I know, but would you like to get lunch with me sometime? _I shook the thoughts out of my head. I didn't even _know_ her. I hadn't even _spoken_ to her. There was no reason for me to be upset, and yet, I was still quite taken aback and I highly doubted I was doing a good job of hiding it.

"Earth to Edward!"

My head snapped up at the sound of my name being yelled out as Emmett's hands shoved onto my back, bringing my mind back to reality. "What's your problem, Em?"

"What's _your_ problem?" Emmett countered, pointing to the vending machine in front of me. "You've been staring at the damn thing for the past ten minutes. Would you make up your mind already? There's other people in line."

I looked at him standing there with his arms crossed, arching a brow as I peeked my head to the side of his, chuckling, "You're the only one here."

"I never said there were a lot of people," he replied while feigning a yawn as he pretended to steal a glance at his wrist. He wasn't even wearing a watch but I got the hint.

So I didn't aggravate him anymore, I pressed the combination of the first thing I saw and reached down to grab it once it hit the bottom. A berry filled, low-fat granola bar. I don't think my face contained all the excitement I felt. "Yay." I grumbled, tossing it into the trashcan.

"So you make me wait ten minutes, _just_ so you can throw it away?" Emmett sighed, reaching for the coins in his pocket. "I should be eating real food with Rose!"

Since Emmett had covered my shift the day before, he was originally supposed to have today off. But something came up for one of the other medical assistants and Emmett was the only person who could cover it. "Sorry again, Em. Whenever you want your shift covered, just let me know."

He shrugged it off, punching my shoulder lightly with that trademarked goofy grin of his. "Don't sweat it. You never call in sick, so I mean, I figured it was probably more than just a 'I don't feel like going to work today' type of thing."

I gave him a crooked grin. "Thanks." Suddenly, I felt the pocket of my pants vibrate and pulled my cell phone out, seeing the caller ID: Bella. Turning back to my brother, I pointed to my phone and he waved me off with a thumbs up as he inserted his coins into the machine. "Hello?"

"Why do you do it, vending machine? Why do you always, ALWAYS make my Doritos get stuck?!" I heard Emmett groan from behind me as I tried desperately not to laugh, refocusing on Bella and what she was saying. "Sorry, Bella, I couldn't hear that. What did you say?"

"I said I'm sorry for calling you at work. But, about going to Forks," she paused. "Charlie called and said he'd much rather prefer it if we visited over the weekend so it wouldn't interfere with school."

"Well if that's what your father wants, then that's fine. I have tomorrow and Saturday off, actually. So that would work well."

She sighed with relief. "I'm glad. Thank you again for deciding to come with me."

"Like I said, I haven't seen Carlisle or Esme in quite some time, so why not? It's not like I have an excuse now since we're going during my days off."

"Well," she gave up. "alright. You have a point. I just don't want you to feel like a prisoner being forced to do what his _wife_ wants him to do."

We both laughed at the term and the way she said it as if the word itself was tainted with poison. "If I start to feel like that, I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Edward. I'll see you later. Don't work too hard."

After we exchanged goodbyes and hung up, I went to the medical supplies closet to refill the offices. It had been five years ago that I'd developed that crush on Isabella Swan. When I'd first found out we were partners, I thought nothing of it because I didn't remember her at all. It wasn't until Professor Peterson repeated her name that it finally clicked inside of my head.

I wondered if she would remember me, but judging by the look on her face that day, of course she didn't. Not that I blamed her. How do you even begin to remember somebody you've never even met? Since then, I spent my time trying to figure myself out. I felt the same attraction towards her as I did all those years ago. It made no sense to me, nor did it make any sense at all when I'd first seen her at the hospital.

To hear her voice though... For so many weeks at the hospital, I'd wondered what her voice sounded like and tried so many times in my head to get a voice to go along with the image. When we'd gone out for dinner, I couldn't help but notice little things she did. The way she'd smiled when she first tried her food, or how she always tended to bite her lip in thought every time I'd ask her a question she had to think about. Did it make me seem like a creep since I barely knew her at all?

And then there was that night after Jacob seemed to get her upset. I remember hearing her scream and then pretty much stumbling the whole way over there to make sure she was alright. And when I was inches away from her face, it never occurred to me until that moment how intoxicating her smell was. Like freesia mixed with something I couldn't pinpoint. But like I said, _intoxicating_.

Then there was the next morning when I'd overheard her yelling. I never imagined that the quiet and seemingly shy Isabella Swan I was so used to bandaging up all those years ago could be capable of such a bite if you got her angry enough. But then again, she didn't look like the type of girl who'd go reckless on a motorcycle either, so who was I to judge?

But dammit. She was _crying_. Her big brown eyes I found myself getting lost in so many times were filled with tears because of that idiotic and overbearingly jealous twit had probably opened his mouth again. I couldn't help thinking at that moment that she deserved better. It had nothing to do with the Cullen/Black family quarrel though. I just really, honestly believed she didn't deserve all the bickering of mistrust issues when she never did anything wrong in the first place.

So for the first time in years, I took a day off. I couldn't believe all it took was her tears to get me to get someone to cover my shift.

_It was worth it_. So worth it.

The image of her sitting on the floor crying was immediately wiped away and replaced with nothing short of joy and excitement as she leaped from trampoline to trampoline. I knew she was scared. I knew she wanted nothing to do with it.

"Trust me," I told her. _And she did_.

So what did all this mean? We'd only known each other for two days. How could this clumsy, accident-prone girl have such a gravitational pull on me when we had just met? It didn't make any sense at all to me. I mean, I even kissed her on the cheek for heaven's sake!

_She kissed you too_, my conscience argued with me. _On the cheek_.

"_Again_, Edward?"

It didn't occur to me that I'd been standing in Dr. Reyes' office for the longest time, staring at a box of new, unopened syringes. My mind must have been wandering off again. It made me wonder how long I was in my own thought bubble this time.

"If you're having difficulties," Emmett walked over to where I was standing and yanked the first drawer open. "we've never put the syringes in any other drawer except the first one. Remember?"

I shook my head, trying to rid my thoughts of Bella. Emmett's eyes stayed on me as I opened the plastic wrap. "I've just got a lot on my mind."

He didn't question me any more than that and left me alone to load the drawers up with supplies. I figured maybe the trip to see my parents would ease me a little bit more. I'd never wished for a Friday to come so quickly as I did that moment.

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The weekend came by fairly slower than I'd hoped, but it came nonetheless. We ended up getting breakfast at Table 219 again and left Seattle by 9 AM so we'd at least get to Forks by noon. Bella and I talked a bit about my parents and her father and various other things. She fell asleep about an hour into the trip but it was understandable. She'd stayed up late the previous night working on an English assignment due Monday that she'd been putting off for two weeks.

The plan was to go visit Esme at home first since she wasn't working. After that, I'd visit Carlisle at the hospital while Bella was to go wish Billy good graces. Then we'd end the day with dinner at her father's house where Bella would be spending the night. I was going to crash at my parents' place and we were going to leave the next day so Bella could finish working on her assignment.

I pulled up in front of the house I'd spent many years in, catching a glance of Esme peeking through the window. My insides began to fill with excitement since it had been quite a while since I'd seen her last. I didn't even make it to the door before the woman I'd called my mother for so long came out and threw her arms around me.

"Edward, you're here!" Esme cried with joy, holding me tightly. "Oh my darling son, I've missed you so."

"I've missed you too, Mom." I crooned, feeling her embrace tighten at the word I'd used. She liked it when I called her that.

She kissed my cheek softly and pulled away, smiling warmly at the girl standing on the other side of my car. "And who's this?"

I motioned Bella to come closer. "Esme, this is Isabella Swan. She's my partner for a class assignment."

Esme reached out and shook her hand, her voice friendly, "Isabella Swan? Chief Swan's daughter?"

"Yes, that's me. But you can just call me Bella, Mrs. Cullen."

"And you can just call me Esme." she smiled and motioned both of us to go inside. "Come in, come in! I'd love to hear all about this assignment of yours."

We all sat in the kitchen, conversing about anything and everything over cups of Esme's special hot chocolate. I updated her on everything going on in my life. I also brought up Emmett and Alice and mentioned they were planning to visit sometime soon as well. I told her about the assignment and she was highly intrigued, saying over and over it was an interesting and good way to learn about marriage. She was all for the 5,000 word assignment as well, which earned her groans and complaints from Bella and myself since she reminded us of yet another thing we needed to get started on. 5,000 words, yippee.

Time flew by and eventually we had to get going almost three hours later so Bella could visit Billy at the hospital. Esme walked us out to the car and surprisingly pulled Bella into her arms. "It was so great to meet you, sweetheart. Tell your father I say hello, alright?"

"I will. Thank you so much for your hospitality, Esme." Bella replied, smiling at my mother once more before getting inside the car.

It was my turn even if I was coming back later on. Esme held me close and whispered to me, "She's _wonderful_, Edward. I love her already."

I pulled out of her embrace and gave her that stern look that read, _It's not like that_.

She shot her own look back at me, _I'm your mother. I know you better than that_. _Don't argue with me._

I wasn't going to win, so I gave up and waved goodbye once more before getting into the car and buckling my seatbelt. Esme blew a kiss at me and I made the action of grabbing it and putting it safely in my pocket as I pulled out of the driveway.

"Cute," Bella teased, obviously referring to what had just transpired between Esme and I.

"It's something we've done since I was a kid."

She nodded and sighed softly. "I like Esme a lot," she said, looking out the window. "She makes me miss Renee that much more."

"If it helps, Esme likes you, too." I caught Bella's lips curve up into a smile once I said that.

"You know, I never would have thought that this assignment would lead to us meeting each other's parents. Crazy, right?"

"Very," I chuckled, keeping my eyes focused on the road. "I'm still a little afraid to meet your father. He doesn't own a taser gun, does he?"

"No." Bella laughed. "He won't pull any weapons out on you, don't worry."

"Thank goodness." I sighed in relief.

"That is," she paused. "until I introduce you as my _husband_. Remember?" She held up her left hand to show the pink plastic ring. My face must have paled even more at the thought of being introduced to the chief of police as his 21 year old daughter's husband and apparently, Bella found it amusing and laughed for a good five minutes straight.

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"Is Dr. Cullen in?" I asked the receptionist, who pointed me in the right direction. She didn't look familiar to me, but then I remembered it had been five years since I worked there.

We both followed the directions of where she had told us to go. I immediately recognized my father signing a medical chart and called out to him, "Carlisle!"

His head shot up, shocked at hearing something other than "Dr. Cullen" probably as he flashed me a wide grin. "Edward! I wasn't expecting you so early!" He grabbed my shoulders and got a good look at my face, smiling proudly. "Look at you, it feels like it's been years."

I smiled at him and stepped aside. "Carlisle, this is Isabella Swan, my partner for an assignment in our Anthropology class."

Carlisle arched a brow and approached Bella with his hand out, "Well, I'll be! The same Isabella Swan who used to come in with all those injuries years ago?"

"Hi, Dr. Cullen. Long time no see." she laughed while shaking his hand. "Hard to believe I'm here this time without a single scratch, huh?"

He laughed with her and looked to me. "What a crazy coincidence, Edward. Remember how I always asked you to--"

"Dr. Cullen, you're needed in the ER." A nurse called out as I silently thanked her. I don't know what I would've done if that was mentioned.

"I have to go, Edward. But go say hi to everyone. They'll be happy to see you." Carlisle said to me, returning to his doctor mode as he turned to Bella. "And Isabella, it was great to see you again. Tell Charlie I said hello and stay out of trouble." With that, he rushed off in the direction of the emergency room.

"Edward?"

I turned my attention away from the hallway Carlisle had run down and looked down into Bella's brown eyes. "Hm?"

"I'm going to try to find Billy's room. You go ahead and say hi to everyone and I'll come find you afterwards, okay?"

I nodded as she walked back to the reception desk, trying to find all the nurses and doctors I had worked with over the summer five years ago. I ran into many familiar faces here and there, stopping to say hello and to give them a brief update of how work was back in Seattle. I'd forgotten how small a town Forks was. Not only did I recognize most of the workers, but I recognized most of the patients as well.

I passed by all the rooms, remembering how my journey as a medical assistant started in this very hospital, in those exact rooms years ago. It surprised me to remember how far I'd come. I suddenly remembered I was graduating and getting my Bachelor's Degree in Health Sciences this year and would be transferring to a medical school in the Fall.

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted as I saw Bella pull a door abruptly closed behind her about a hallway down from me. She seemed angry so I began to make my way towards her, wondering what could have possibly happened with Billy that had gotten her so upset. I paused right in my tracks as a dark-skinned tall guy came out of the room shortly after she did.

"Give me a chance to explain, Bells." I heard him plead, grabbing at her wrists as she violently jerked away.

"How _dare_ you! I think I've got a good idea already, Jacob. No need to fucking explain!"

I cringed at the tone she was using and the language that came with it as everything began to click in my head and make sense to me now.

_He_ was Jacob Black. And he'd made Bella cry, _again_.

This time, I could very well punch his face in if I wanted to. And all it took was one remembrance of Bella's face a few mornings ago to fuel the fire in me as I continued to walk over to her.

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_**End of Chapter Six**_

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**Author's Notes: **So how'd you like the look into Edward's head this time? ;) Yes, yes. I listened to you all! Hopefully I didn't fail to disappoint you guys. How'd you like finding out he had a crush on her, too? Ooooh, the plot thickens! Haha. Oh, and did you guys catch the whole "Of course she has a boyfriend" part where he walked in on their conversation? He didn't know Jacob and Bella were just friends then, so don't scream at me for that part? -Dodges thrown objects-

Next chapter will be Bella's POV, but I'll start switching off between EPOV and BPOV. How about that? Yay! What's awaiting you next chapter? An Edward/Jacob confrontation, Charlie's introduction, and believe it or not, some cuteness between our favorite couple Edward and Bella! Don't worry, I know they've only known each other for a little less than a week and they're already introducing each other to the parents, but just go with it. You won't be disappointed! I'm really starting to like the direction this story is heading and I hope you all feel the same!

"This time, I could very well punch his face in if I wanted to." Oh, protective and caring Edward. -Swoon- Anyone else desperately wish he could just come alive off of the pages and be a real person? Questions? Concerns? Anything? Feel free to PM me! I'd love to hear any sort of feedback! Please check out _**Your Healing Touch**_ if you haven't already. That one will be updated sometime today as well. OH and please don't forget to **REVIEW**. Pretty please? Until next time then!

--_Burrberry Bugsy_


	7. Careless Whisper

**Author's Notes: **EARLIER UPDATE than expected since I got such a great response from the last chapter in only two days! I had time to spare today, so I finished this chapter up and decided to post it because I love you all so much. Teehee. I've got school in the morning, great. -Sigh- I hate college. Bella's POV for this chapter, but don't worry, you'll be in Edward's head again next chapter! ENJOY!

**Special thanks to: karenkaraoke, ReachingAsIFall, Shanda, cALLIEfornia BENches, Sunfeathers, TwiDi, , bluemoon01, bella-books, i love hershey, and Rltsweetie22591. **The list just keeps getting longer and longer with every chapter! I can't express how happy I was to see how many more reviews had more feedback and more details about what you like. I have the best readers in the world!

Oh, and of course! How could I ever forget my number one,** Erica aka IcelandGirl812,** who by the way, gave me the **LONGEST** review I think I've ever gotten in the history of umm, EVER. HAHAHA. Thank you so much for the support, Erica! This chapter's dedicated especially to you! Love ya!

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Twilight or the characters. Stephenie Meyer does so don't sue me, pleaaase.**  
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**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Seven**

**Careless Whisper**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it be to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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**Bella Swan**

I heard my heart pounding in my ears as I tried to steady my breathing. Tears began to well up in my eyes as I turned out of the room as quickly as I had come in, pulling the door behind me closed. I couldn't believe it. After how much he kept assuming Edward was going to be the one to pull us apart and how many times Jacob gave me a hard time for just trying to get to know him better. _Hypocrite_.

The door behind me pushed open as I turned to get a good read on his face. His guilty dark eyes said it all and I internally scoffed. _Damn right_ he better feel guilty. "Give me a chance to explain, Bells." Jacob pleaded, grabbing onto one of my wrists.

As soon as I felt his skin contact with my own, I yanked away. "How _dare_ you! I think I've got a good idea already, Jacob. No need to fucking explain!" I seethed, trying to remember that I was in a hospital and needed to be courteous to the patients.

Jacob put his hands up in defense, his eyes begging me to listen. "Can we go outside? I don't want to talk about this in here."

I was about to open my mouth to scream again until I caught Jacob's mouth turn into a scowl. Curiously, I turned around and saw Edward looking like he wanted to rip Jacob's face off. I couldn't blame him. I wanted to do the exact same thing.

"A problem, Bella?" Edward asked me, his eyes glued on Jacob's.

I felt the tenseness and animosity swirling around in the air as the two bitter rivals finally came face to face. The family quarrel still rendered irrelevant to me, but obviously they thought differently. "Don't fight!" I hissed, knowing they both heard me but didn't say anything.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Jacob crossed his arms and the heated staring contest began. It surprised me to see Edward and Jacob standing face to face, both of them on equal eye level. Edward was almost three years older but they were the same height. I'm sure part of the reason of that was the Native American Quileute genes that coursed through Jacob's blood.

"My father is a doctor at this hospital. Have you forgotten that I have family here, too?" Edward countered, his emerald green eyes glinting with irritation.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "I meant with Bella. _Why_ did you come here with her?"

"For similar reasons as to why Leah came with you."

I could tell Edward was pushing the buttons that made Jacob Black tick as I opened my mouth to say something. "You guys, stop. We're in public."

They both ignored me. "_We_ were talking." Jacob growled, clenching his hands into fists. "And if you don't mind, I'd like to continue talking to my girlfriend without you around to meddle."

My face burned with anger at his audacity to still call me his girlfriend after what he'd just been doing in there. I felt Edward tense up beside me as he put his hand on the small of my back, encouraging me to go.

"If she comes back still crying, I can guarantee I'll give your face a good rearrangement."

Jacob barked out a laugh and crossed his arms. "I'd like to see you try."

Before I could even protest or have any kind of reaction to Edward's caring about me, I was pulled outside where the sun wasn't shining and the grey sky looked as if it was warning us that rain was coming soon. I honestly didn't want to listen to _anything_ Jacob had to tell me. I already knew damn well what I saw in there and to me, actions spoke louder - much, much louder - than words.

"Bells--"

"My father gave me that nickname, Jacob. I don't want you ruining that for me." I was so angry and didn't even bother to try being reasonable anymore.

He sighed and nodded his head. "Okay, _Bella_, look... what you saw in there. It's not what it looked like."

"_Not what it looked like_?" I made an unlady-like snort. "And I'm just going to go out on a limb here and guess that you're going to tell me what it _really_ was?"

Jacob took a step closer to me and I took a step back. "Billy's... he's really sick. Leah was just comforting me because she knows how much I'm hurting right now."

"_Comforting_ you?" I spat angrily. "Forgive me if I never knew _comforting_ someone meant having a full on make out session with a girl who's not your girlfriend! And of all places, in your SICK father's room while he's _sleeping_? Don't you have any kind of decency at all?!"

Jacob sighed again and ruffled his long hair. "Alright... it sounds bad if you put it like that. But, just hear me out. Please?" He took my silence as a chance to continue on. "You know I love _you_, Bella. You're my best friend and I can't picture being without you. But..."

There was always a goddamn "but" in these types of conversations. I was pretty sure I'd have to take Edward up on his guarantee to rearrange Jacob's face.

"Lately I've been so caught up in worrying about you and Edward and it's really been hard to deal with. Leah's just been there for me as a shoulder to lean on, you know? I was so jealous. Always wondering what you guys were doing and constantly trying to tell myself I had nothing to worry about. And when I found out Billy was sick... I rushed here in a heartbeat and Leah was nothing but supportive of that."

Was he trying to say I wasn't being supportive? I felt fire raging inside me as he continued.

"Billy was really happy to see me, but he was shocked when I was here with Leah instead of you. He automatically assumed you and I had broken up and told me how glad he was, that I was with Leah now. He said as much as he loved you, he always saw us as just friends and nothing more. That we were better off this way anyways. And... I couldn't bear to tell him Leah was just my partner for a class assignment after that. I couldn't do it, Bells."

"_Bella_." I said through clenched teeth, suddenly feeling something different than anger building up in the pits of my stomach. I couldn't quite explain it. There was only one explanation for all of this: he was leaving me for Leah. I was almost sure of it.

"Bella. Sorry." he apologized. "But. Leah and I... kissed just to see if there was any kind of spark there. It wasn't intentional, it was just that we needed to figure it out. I know it wasn't _just_ a kiss, it was more like a make-out, but... it was like a test. To see where we stood with each other on a more than friends level."

"And?" I waited for him to finish, but I guessed from the guilt still written on his face that my previous assumption had been correct.

Jacob hesitated with his words but finally came out and said, "I... Well. It was _different,_ but I don't know if it was a bad different or a good different. One thing I do know is that I don't want to risk losing you over this. It's just that I can't tell Billy right now. I don't know how he'd react to it."

"So what am _I_ supposed to do, Jacob? Just sit around and wait while you and Leah pretend to be together for Billy's sake? You might as well just _be_ with her! Make it official, why don't you? If it's what your dad prefers, then what the hell is stopping you anyway? Obviously you were curious enough about your feelings for her if you agreed to make out while you and I were still together!"

"I'm not breaking up with you, if that's what you're thinking. I never had any intention of breaking up with you."

"_Wow_." I laughed bitterly, trying to keep my composure. "Why not? Did you think I'd be okay with this or something? You think I'd just wave off you cheating on me?"

"Bella, it's just for Billy's sake. Please try to understand--"

"Then how about telling me her kiss meant nothing?" I asked, noticing he finally shut up, unable to come up with the answer he knew I wanted to hear. I figured as much. He was just spilling out lies. Lie after lie after _fucking lie_. "I'm finished, Jacob. I'm done."

"Look, can we talk about this more tonight? Swing by Billy's place, I'll--"

"I didn't mean with _just_ the conversation. I mean us. _This_, our relationship, I'm done."

Jacob's eyes widened at what I said, staggering towards me. I shook my head and looked away. I'd had my share of Jacob Black for one day.

"Bella. Don't do this. I'm sorry. You're absolutely right. When Billy comes to, I'll tell him it was a misunderstanding, that Leah is just a friend. Bella, I love you, not her."

His sentence came to an abrupt stop as I threw my hand into his mouth with every bit of force I could muster out of myself. I felt the burning sting of my now injured hand and I wanted to scream bloody murder since it hurt so bad. I'd decided against looking like a baby and composed myself as best as I could when the pain started to throb achingly. Jacob had backed away just a little, spitting blood onto the concrete. His bottom lip was bleeding since I knocked it into his teeth. It was minimal and I did more damage to myself than I did him, but it was fine. At that moment, all I wanted was to punch him, slap him, _anything_ to cause him even a fraction of the hurt he had just bestowed upon me. "That's what you should've said first." I spat, referring to what he had just said.

There was nothing more I wanted to say to him as I walked back into the hospital, trying to rid myself of the pain aching in my chest and my now right hand.

It wasn't _just_ the emotions of a break up. It wasn't _just_ the feeling of being cheated on. It was the feeling of rejection, the feeling of loss. Billy loved me as Bella, but he didn't love me as_ Jacob's Bella_. He preferred Leah. After so many years of feeling like he was my second father. After countless conversations we all shared over fish he and Charlie had caught together. After all that, I was still only second best in Billy's eyes.

And Jacob. I knew it would be over right when I'd walked in on them. I knew that if Jacob wasn't going to be the one who ended it, I would be. I had more respect for myself than to allow him to have any kind of chance to do that again and hurt me even further. But it wasn't the break-up that was getting to me.

It was that I'd _trusted_ him. He was my best friend. I never had any kind of doubt in him and that wasn't even just because he made his dislike for Leah blatantly clear. It was because I knew he wouldn't do that to me in the first place.

_I thought wrong_.

It didn't even occur to me that the tears were streaming freely down my face now. I was running through the halls of the hospital looking for the one person in Forks besides Charlie I wanted to talk to. His bronze colored hair caught my eye and I made my way towards him, not even bothering to slow down. I crashed my body into his and threw my arms around him, sobbing out everything my heart was feeling.

Edward held me back, rubbing my back gently as he whispered words of comfort I couldn't even comprehend since I was such a blubbering mess. I was so lost in my emotions that I didn't even feel him lift me up and into one of the empty rooms, placing me down on the cot. I saw his lips moving so I knew he was talking but I couldn't get myself to listen. He took my right hand to clean the wound and I figured there wasn't too much damage, for which I was glad. He just rinsed off the blood, dabbed antibiotic cream on it, and wrapped my knuckles in gauze. Then, just as easily as he had earlier, he lifted me up again and out of the hospital. He put me in the passenger seat and buckled me in, walking around to the other side as he drove in silence back to his parents house.

Esme said nothing as she held the door open when Edward came in with me still in his arms. He walked up the staircase and into a room that was pretty much empty with the exception of a few records here and there and a bed that was already made. Gently, he set me down on the bed and took off my shoes as he pulled the blanket up to my shoulders. I curled up in the warmth and sighed very softly, feeling like the world was crashing down around me.

"Sleep if you want, Bella. If you need anything at all, I'll be downstairs with Esme." Edward wiped the wetness still left on my cheeks with a gentle hand before leaving. "You still want to go see Charlie right?"

I only nodded my head and he understood. He took one final look at me and left, closing the door behind him. A whole wave of emotions crashed over me again and I'd never felt so pathetic. It felt like I had lost the closest person in my life. I knew it could never be the same after this. How could it be the same anyway? Maybe that's why people always advised it was wise not to fall for your best friend. How could I ever look at him the same? He'd _cheated _on me. And with Leah Clearwater of all people! After he went on and on about how she was psycho for doing what she did to Emily. Even though it was "just to see", a kiss was still a kiss.

I couldn't even think straight anymore. My head was pounding, my heart aching, and my eyes drained of all the tears I could cry. Within a few seconds, I fell asleep and left all thoughts of Jacob and Leah behind me. Or tried to, at least.

* * *

Once I'd woken up, it was about the time I had to start preparing Charlie's dinner. I gave Esme my graces and thanked her for her hospitality once again. We hugged and she told me to come back again anytime before Edward and I left to the store to pick up ingredients I needed since I knew Charlie probably had nothing at the house except fish, fish, and more fish.

I bought the ingredients to make lasagna since I knew it was Charlie's favorite out of all the dishes I'd cooked for him in the past. Besides the directions on how to get to my house, Edward and I didn't speak in the car. Once we pulled up in the driveway and got out, I grabbed the spare key that was actually taped underneath the rug itself and opened the door.

The house hadn't changed much. Or at all, really. Edward placed the groceries down on the counter of the kitchen and I immediately washed my hands and preheated the oven since Charlie would be home in about half an hour.

"Need help with anything?" Edward asked. I had almost forgotten how good a cook he was so he didn't really need any thorough explanations on how to do anything.

"Can you just get the sauce started for me?" I grabbed a large bowl and began tossing the salad together.

It was silent in the room, which I wasn't too comfortable with. I knew Edward was just trying to respect my privacy and avoid bringing it up but I would have rather had a conversation about Jacob than no conversation at all. The silence was somewhat deafening, as contradicting as that sounds, and I couldn't stand it. "I'm sorry. About being such a crybaby earlier. I really didn't want you to see all that."

"It's not your fault he's an asshole." Edward said simply, stirring the sauce that was simmering. "How's your hand?"

"It stings a bit, but I'll be fine. Thank you for cleaning it up for me."

He nodded and was quiet for a second before he spoke again, "If you don't mind me asking..." He trailed off, unsure of whether or not to actually ask the question.

"We're done."

He turned his head slightly to gauge my reaction as I continued to toss the lettuce, croutons, and dressing together. It was already obvious what had happened between Jacob and I but I knew Edward was just trying to be subtle, which I appreciated. He was too sweet for his own good.

"Sorry I didn't get a chance to rearrange his face."

I laughed quietly at that, seeing Edward's crooked grin before he turned his attention back to the sauce. "Billy prefers him with Leah. When he saw Jacob come in with her and not me, he assumed we broke up and said it was better like that anyways."

Edward said nothing but nodded his head for me to continue. "I'm trying not to be a baby about it, but it affects me even though I don't want it to." I felt those damned traitor tears coming back as I tried desperately to fight them off. "And I thought Jacob _hated_ Leah, I mean, you should've seen the look on his face when he found out they were partnered together. But since they'd decided to test their feelings and kiss one another, I suppose I was wrong. I'm thinking he was just in denial this whole time."

"I see." Edward mused softly, placing the lid on top of the simmering pot. He grabbed the loaf of garlic bread and a tray.

I put the salad to the other side since I was finished with it and began arranging the slices of garlic bread Edward was cutting on the tray in front of us. "I broke up with him."

He stopped what he was doing and lifted his gaze up to mine. We stared at each other for a bit until I tore away from his eyes, slightly flushed. Edward sighed softly and asked, "What are you thinking right now?"

My brows furrowed at his simple question as I placed another slice of garlic bread down on the tray. What _was_ I thinking? I was thinking I wanted to kick Jacob Black in the groin, did that count? I was thinking he was a hypocritical, inconsiderate dog, did that count? I, too, sighed softly and met his eyes, knowing he was still trying to figure me out. "Too much." I groaned, shutting my eyes tightly because it didn't feel like I could hold back anymore. "I can't handle this, it's too much."

I wanted to scream at myself for getting so emotional again. All I could think to do was blame _Jacob_. It was childish of me to point fingers but at that moment, I seriously couldn't think of any better thing to do. I couldn't blame Leah even though I wanted to since she was well aware that I was Jacob's girlfriend but still kissed him anyway. I couldn't blame Billy even though his words was what was _really_ tearing me apart.

I thought maybe I could put the blame on Professor Peterson for assigning Jacob and Leah together but automatically thought against it. It's not like he knew this was going to happen. It wasn't his part of his plans to make sure I was miserable. And, if not for this assignment, I would've never gotten a chance to get to know Edward better. I would have gone my whole life without ever talking to him because I was seriously that scared. No, this was not Professor Peterson's wrong doing at all.

And then it suddenly hit me, that there was no one I could place the blame on. Jacob and Leah wondering if they had feelings for each other was no one's fault. It wasn't Billy's fault, it wasn't Professor Peterson's, it wasn't anyone's. Time and time again, I'd questioned why my heart became so erratic whenever Edward came too close to me, and who's fault was that? It wasn't Jacob's, or Edward's or even mine.

It was just the heart's different ways of reacting to one another.

So even though I wanted to be bitter, I couldn't be. There was no one and nothing to be bitter at.

"Bella," His velvety voice pulled me away from my thoughts as I looked up to find him closer than he had been before. "No one ever said you had to be strong all the time. It's okay to feel hurt after something like this."

My knees began buckling as I bit my lip and took a step back, pressing all my weight against the refrigerator behind me because I knew I'd fall over if I didn't. I wasn't quite too sure if it was my emotions getting the better of me or just Edward's uncanny ability to make me weak in the knees. "It's just... I can't get over that Billy prefers her. It's like he's saying I'm not good enough."

Edward's brows furrowed as he slowly lifted up a hand to caress my face. "Don't ever think that."

"E-Edward... What are you..." I felt my breath catch in my throat and there was nothing I wanted more than to just lean in a few inches more to capture his lips with mine.

"You have to understand, Bella, that any guy would be the luckiest guy in the world to have you."

"Then," I gulped nervously. "Why? Why did Jacob kiss Leah? Why did he do it if he claimed he loved me and not her?"

"Because," Edward's breath was like a feather-type of caress against my lips, so warm and gentle. My head was spinning at the closeness, my heart thumping at his words. "Jacob Black is the biggest idiot and didn't deserve you."

"Edward.." If this had been any other time, I would've slapped myself for sounding so starstruck. I raised my hand up to place it against his that was still caressing my face and leaned into his touch. I felt like I was in some kind of a lovey dovey chick flick. All I needed was the romantic background music and I'd be set. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying it though. "I have something to--"

"Bells, are you in here?"

With practically inhuman speed we leaped off one another and went back to work. Edward shoved the tray of garlic bread into the oven and I began layering the noodles, cheese, and sauce in a glass pan. My face must've been flushed and cherry red, but if asked I would say it was due to working over a hot kitchen.

Charlie walked in still clad in his police uniform, staring at us curiously. "Hi Bells, long time no see."

I smiled and ran over to my father to give him an awkward hug. Our hugs were always awkward but there was a strange comfort in that.

"You're looking, uh, well... Older? More mature. And. Uhh, prettier, yeah." He faked a cough and scratched the back of his head.

My lips curved up into a smile as I stifled back a laugh at him trying to compliment me.

"And hey, what happened to your hand?"

I suddenly was in a bad mood again. Stupid Jacob Black. "Long story." I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Oh, and dad, this is Edward Cullen."

"Nice to finally meet you, Chief Swan. I've heard a lot about you from my father." Edward said, wiping his hands on a dish towel before walking over to shake his hand.

"Ah, Dr. Cullen's boy. Nice to meet you too, Edward. Tell him I say hello the next time you see him."

I inwardly sighed as Edward went back to go finish up the lasagna without any threats from my father. I was much too embarrassed to even look up at Edward and rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. "I'm, uh, making your favorite, dad! Lasagna with garlic bread and Caesar salad as a side."

"Smells great already, Bells." he replied, taking a seat on the couch in front of his TV. "Come over here, would ya? Tell me all about your trip."

I smiled and mentally thanked Charlie. If I was away from the kitchen, it gave me a chance to try and cool my face down before Edward noticed how much I was blushing.

"And Edward, what kind of a man would I be if I made you slave over a hot oven like that? Come join us. Tell me more about yourself."

Scratch that. I groaned quietly and shifted awkwardly on the couch as Edward took a seat across from us. I was still too chicken to make any sort of eye contact so I peered down at the material of the couch and tried to drown out their man talk, doing my best to think of anything unappealing I could think of to get my face back to normal. Like Jacob and Leah making out in Billy's hospital room as he's attached to an IV and heart monitor. Sad, I know. Again, stupid Jacob Black.

* * *

The talk over dinner had consisted of conversation mostly between Edward and Charlie. I'm surprised he didn't go all protective father/cop and ask Edward if we had done anything in the past few days we had been sleeping under the same roof. It was probably because I mentioned earlier in the week that Jacob and I were still an item and he knew me better than that. I just didn't want to come out and say that we had broken up because Billy, who was basically my father's best friend, didn't want me for Jacob. Actually, I just didn't really want to talk or think about it at all.

It didn't even occur to me that it was 8:30 and Edward had to get going. Carlisle was probably already home and he wanted to get a chance to talk to him more before we had to go back to Seattle in the morning.

"So, thanks again for helping out with dinner. Charlie seems to like you since he didn't pull out his rifle." I laughed as I walked him out to his silver Volvo.

"He's less intimidating when you get to know him." Edward chuckled as well, turning back to me. His eyes seemed troubled. "Bella, I have to apologize for... earlier."

My cheeks became hot again and I was so glad it was dark outside so he couldn't see. It had taken me all of dinner to get my heart to calm down and Edward was just making it erratic all over again. "Oh. It's, um, fine? Don't worry about it?" I felt so stupid but I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"I shouldn't have tried though. I mean you and Jacob, you two just.." His sentence trailed off as I peered deep into his green eyes. "I couldn't help myself."

It felt like my heart was going to explode out of my chest since it was beating so fast. More than anything, I wanted to tell him of my crush all those years ago. Maybe it didn't mean anything to him now, but it would be liberating for me if I could just get it out. "Edward. I--"

"No, me first." Edward sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his messy hair. "If I don't say it now, I'll never get it out." He took a deep breath. "When I was 18 years old, I worked at the hospital Carlisle works at as his assistant for the summer."

_That's just freakin' great!_ I screamed internally, shutting my eyes and feeling my stomach do flip flops. _He knows my secret. He knew all along! _I staggered back a little and tried to calm myself. _Just admit to it already, Bella._ I chanted in my head._ It'd be liberating, remember?!_

"Are you alright?" Edward asked, staring at me with bewilderment on his face.

I wouldn't be doing anything wrong. So, hey, what the hell right? "Look, I know what you're going to say. And, yes, I remember you from all those years ago. I was scared to admit this, but the only reason I came in so many times was to see you. Jacob made fun of me all the time and that's another reason why he was so cautious about you and I being partnered for this assignment. It's stupid, I know, but it was years ago. It was a high school crush." I stammered, rubbing the back of my neck anxiously. I couldn't believe I had actually said it. After years of putting it aside, I finally said it. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't proud of myself. My eyes managed to get off the floor and up at him, surprised to see he looked even more confused than he just did. Why was he looking at me like that?.. "What?"

"Bella, that... That wasn't what I was going to say." Edward shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, wait a second. You're saying, back then, you... You felt that way too?"

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_**  
End of Chapter Seven**_

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**Author's Notes:** YAY! -Dances- Who's excited for the next chapter? I am, I am! I've actually started writing it. And for those of you who thought that Jacob would be completely out of the picture, you thought wrong. -Runs from angry readers- Please don't get mad! But he can't just disappear out of the story! There's still a lot to cover when it comes to him. I can promise though, that the Bella/Jacob relationship is over. She's not going to take him back, but he's still in the story for now. So from here on is the progression of Bella's and Edward's relationship. It has to start out slow, as every relationship does. I promise a lot more cuteness from now on though! Are you happy with me now? :)

Oh, and about Jacob, sorry if I offended anyone by making him a total asshole in this chapter. And if Charlie seems a little OOC, I'm sorry about that too. I know he's usually always on Edward's case and whatnot, but I figured if he was being introduced as just a friend, he wouldn't flip out so much. Right?

So, the next chapter will be in Edward's POV again. I suppose I'll switch off every other chapter from now on, how's that? :) Thank you everyone for your reviews! They make me so happy. 50+ on the last chapter, so can we try and get that same amount (maybe even more? -squeals-) for this one? Pretty please?!

Oh and to those who asked about Your Healing Touch, I'm working on that one. I know I said I'd update that a few days ago, but the idea came to me while I was driving home in traffic and I'm not as inspired with that as I am with this story. I promise I'll do my best though. So, please do check it out and PLEASE review this? Until next time then!

--_Burrberry Bugsy_


	8. Goodbye To All We Were

**Author's Notes:** YAY FOR REACHING 200 REVIEWS! Thank you all so much! They're so uplifting. I've gotten some of the best reviews I've ever gotten and I can't express my gratitude enough. It's the weekend so yay for finally getting to stay up late!

Oh, and heads up! This story was rated M for a reason, language purposes is one of them. There will be lemons in here, but I'm not sure how many or how few. To be honest, I'm not even thinking about writing a lemon for this story just yet because I've barely gotten Bella and Edward's relationship (or perhaps lack thereof) to ignite. But rest assured, you'll be notified well ahead of time and whether you choose to read it or not is your decision. Sound good?

**Special thanks to tanis ann, Tricia **(aka **twilightnemo**)**, Summ3rbr33z3-93, crazy wolf em, Sunfeathers, Delaware forever, , and TwiDi! **I have to definitely give my promised shout out to **RaCullen** for the giving me such awesome feedback, so THANK YOU SO MUCH! You're great! Also, many thanks to** luvscullenboys** because not only did she review the last chapter, but she reviewed every chapter she missed while on her mini hiatus from the internet. It showed a lot of dedication and interest to my story and I couldn't be more flattered, so thank you! And of course, I always save her for last, my absolute favorite, **Erica **aka** IcelandGirl812**! Like last chapter, this one's dedicated to you as well. Hope you like it! Love ya! :)

And another thing! THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who wished me luck with going back to school. You're all the sweetest readers ever, and if I could send all of you cookies, I would.  
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Disclaimer: **I don't own Twilight or any of the characters or anything really. I own a car and expensive books that I needed to spend hundreds of dollars on for my classes. Screw college, though I know I've said that many times. Sigh.  
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**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Eight**

**Goodbye To All We Were**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it be to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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Edward Cullen**

I probably looked like I'd just gotten slapped in the face with a cold, wet, live fish. It's a bad example, but just imagine how you'd look if it happened to you. _Exactly_ my point. But seriously, did she just say what I think she did? _The only reason I had come in so many times was to see you_. It replayed over and over again in my head. _It was just a high school crush_. Did that mean she actually knew who I was all those years ago? That I wasn't just some random medical assistant with funny colored hair who constantly bandaged her up?

She stared at me confused, and asked, "What?"

It was as if she was expecting I already _knew_ all this, which I obviously didn't.

I couldn't even believe it. "Bella, that... That wasn't what I was going to say." I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to get the concept clear in my head. "So, wait a second. You're saying, back then, you... You felt that way too?"

Her posture stiffened and her mouth opened to say something, but nothing came out. I guessed by the shock written on her face that she didn't know that that's what I was going to say either.

So _now_ what? We both just awkwardly admitted to crushing on each other five years ago. FIVE years ago being the keyword. Not only was I still confused with how I was feeling, but Bella and Jacob had _just_ broken up a few hours ago. So even if I did possibly still want to pursue something with her, why would she want to jump back into something that she just jumped right out of? I shook my head and brought my mind back to Earth, noticing she seemed to be in her own thought bubble as well.

Bella inhaled and exhaled, avoiding eye contact with me. "So, you're saying that.. You knew who I was?"

"You knew who _I_ was?" I threw her sentence right back at her as we both kind of just stood there in silence. It felt like high school all over again. I was a freaking adult and it was nothing more than a simple crush that started and ended years ago, so why couldn't I say something - _anything_ to get myself out of this uncomfortable hole I'd put myself in?

"Bells!" Charlie called from inside the house. Saved by the cop, thank goodness.

She snapped out of her fixated staring contest with the ground and answered, "Yeah?"

"I got hungry again and I tried to microwave my leftover but there was a spark for some reason. Wanna help your good old dad out?"

I chuckled softly as Bella grunted in frustration. "Jeez, dad, don't tell me you put it with the foil still on top! You should know you're not supposed to do that! What kind of a cop are you?"

"A cop that doesn't deal with home cooked meals and foil, I thought you knew! Now come help me out before I accidentally set this place on fire." He laughed and headed back inside the house.

She turned back to me and gave me a slight smile while rolling her eyes. "That's Charlie for you. I guess I'll just see you tomorrow?"

"At least we'll have something to discuss on our three hour trip." I mused, flashing my trademarked crooked grin. "We _are_ going to talk about this, right?"

Bella massaged her temples and sighed, merely nodding her head. "Not like you're going to give me any other choice."

I couldn't help but laugh. Maybe I was being forward by doing so, but I brushed the hair that had fallen astray out of the way, peering deep into her chocolate brown eyes. "Sleep well tonight, Bella. I'll see you in the morning."

She exhaled and closed her eyes. "Good night, Edward."

I opened the door and climbed in, turning the key in the ignition.

"Hey, wait!"

I heard her even though I was already inside, but decided to roll the window down to make things easier for both of us. "What is it?"

Before I could even get an idea of what she stopped me for, her lips pressed softly against my cheek, only a few centimeters away from the corner of my mouth. I was beginning to wonder if she did that purposely to get back at me for earlier in the kitchen. Curse her, she was good.

"Thank you. For everything." She breathed, a heartwarming smile spreading across her face.

"Anytime, Bella." I replied with a grin as I pulled out of her driveway. While I was backing up, I noticed her blow a kiss to me, just as she jokingly teased about Esme doing earlier in the day. Judging by the goofy look on her face, I knew she was just teasing me again. My crooked grin returned as I pretended to catch it and put it in my front pocket, like I always did whenever someone did that to me. As of now though, I had only done that for two people - Esme and now, Bella. I saw her laugh before she waved and turned around to go back inside her house.

I started the drive towards my parent's house and couldn't help but groan in frustration. I felt like I was seriously the most selfish guy imaginable. She _just_ had her heart broken, had it shoved back in her face and those damned emotions I left behind so long ago decide on _now_ of all times to taunt me? Carlisle and Esme raised me to have more respect for women's feelings than this. Most of the time when any guy ever made a move on a broken-hearted girl, it meant one thing: taking advantage of her depression.

The last thing I wanted to do was make a move on Bella. Okay, no, I'll admit, I did. Well, I didn't exactly want to make a _move_ on her, more like I wanted to show her that not every guy out there is as stupid as Jacob Black. But, she was hurt and needed time to heal. What kind of a man would I be if I didn't respect that?

Then an idea popped into my head. I knew what I wanted to do.

I wanted to sock Jacob Black in the gut, that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to break his nose for being the biggest jerk off I'd ever been encountered with. And I knew damn well that Bella would have no problem if I'd decided to hold him to my offer on the rearrangement of that cheating and deceptive face of his.

* * *

I arrived at the Swan residence a little after noon time and honked to let Bella know I was there. She tossed the door open and I guessed Charlie had already headed off to work since she came out without him waving her off. She threw her bag that was filled with her overnight clothes and toiletries into the backseat and buckled in her belt.

"Charlie at work already?"

She nodded and pulled her slightly damp hair out of its ponytail to shake it loose. "Yeah. He left in the morning. He wanted me to tell you to drive safe and that we could come back anytime."

"Carlisle and Esme wished us the same."

It was quiet for a bit, with only the faint music of the radio playing in the background. "So," I started, trying to see if she'd continue the conversation if I hinted at it. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw see her stiffen and play with locks of her hair idly as she shrugged. "Why didn't _you_ tell _me_?"

"I asked that first," I chuckled.

"But don't you want to be polite and let ladies ask the questions first ?" She batted her eyelashes and a triumphant grin appeared on her face when she'd noticed I groaned in defeat.

"Fine, Bella. You win."

"Yes!" she laughed with a cheery grin on her face. "So, let's hear it."

I ran my hand down my face and tried to get it all to come out making sense. "Okay, well... I was planning to. All that time I was trying to find a way to ask you to get lunch with me or something. It sounds," I tried to think of the right word. "_stupid_, but I didn't know what else to do. I decided on telling you in August, before I left for the Fall semester at the University of Washington."

"But?" she pressed, staring at me as I focused on the road.

I groaned again. It wasn't fair that she was getting all the information out of me when I'd asked her first. "I'm _driving_, Bella."

"We're on a _freeway_, Edward." she countered. She wasn't going to let me off easy, I already knew. "You're going to be going straight for the next two and a half hours, basically. You could do that with your eyes closed."

She was so persistent. I sighed and figured there was no way I was going to get out of it. "But," I continued as she leaned in to hear me. "when I decided to tell you and ask you to lunch, I overheard you and your... boyfriend talking in the room."

Her eyes widened as she stared at me in shock. "What are you talking about?"

"It was that day you rode your bike again or something. You got into another accident."

It looked as if the wheels in Bella's head were turning and finally, of all things to do, she _laughed_. I told her what she wanted to know and she laughed at me. Great. "Are you thinking about the day Jacob came in, worried sick and told me there wouldn't be a 'next time' with his bike?"

It confused me as to why that was even remotely funny. It wasn't funny. Not to me at least. After contemplating in thought, something hit me. The boy in her room that day - it was Jacob Black. Before I could question it, she cut me off. "Edward. Do you not listen to me when I talk or something?"

"Of course I listen to you," I replied, alarmed that she'd even asked. Sure, I was driving, but she had my full attention. Why did that thought even cross her mind?

She laughed again and stared out her window as the scenery flew past. "Remember when you asked how long he and I had been going out?"

I nodded my head and waited for her to continue. I still didn't get it.

"I told you it was complicated, but we had only officially been going out for a few months, remember?"

The light bulb went off in my head. I understood now. "He--"

"--wasn't my boyfriend back then. We were just close friends." Bella sighed and adjusted her seat so she could be more comfortable. "You could've just asked back then, you know."

Okay, I was an idiot, I'll admit. "Well, alright then, Isabella," I chuckled when she huffed at my use of her full name. "why didn't _you_ tell me, hm?"

It was her turn to groan, but I guess she figured it would only be fair to answer honestly as I did. "Well... I was shy, okay? Jacob never stopped teasing me. And I didn't know how to approach you or even bring up the situation." She snorted and said teasingly, "Hi, I don't know your name or anything at all about you, but I've got a crush on you and I think you're gorgeous. Now, kiss me baby-sweetie. You'd probably take one look at me and hightail it out of there."

I laughed and after a while, so did she at the way she mocked herself. "If you had phrased yourself that way, I just _might_ have actually ran."

"_See_? That right there, that's the exact reason why I didn't tell you!" she huffed.

"You told me just now."

"So?"

"I didn't run away."

The car went completely silent again as we both stared off in different directions. "Thanks, for being honest though. I feel like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders," Bella said quietly, folding her hands in her lap as the soft music echoed from the radio.

I nodded my head and she smiled and returned her eyes to the scenery outside.

"So..." I tried to stop smiling like a total idiot so I wouldn't lose it and laugh like I was some insane type of hyena on crack. "You, think I'm _gorgeous_?"

"Edward!"

I couldn't hold my laugh back anymore after that.

* * *

"Ah, class! We've hit the one week mark. How is everyone enjoying themselves?" Professor Peterson boomed. For once, he seemed overly excited and I'm guessing it was probably because he loved this assignment so much. "Come on now, let's hear some feedback, yes? How about you Ms. Anderson?" He turned his attention to one of the girls in class as I slammed my head down on the desk. All I wanted to do was sleep. We got back to Seattle on Saturday at around 4 PM since we hit traffic and I fell asleep right when we got back to my place. I didn't wake up until the next morning and I had work until late. I was in serious need of relaxation.

I lifted up my head a little when I felt Bella nudge me. Normally she said she sat more towards the middle rows with Jacob, but since he and Leah had some kind of a new fascination with each other or something, I made sure she sat next to me. In fact, a lot of the people who were partnered together were now sitting with one another surprisingly.

"Still tired?" she asked softly.

"Just a little." I groaned and rubbed at my eyes. It was 4 in the afternoon and I was still yawning for goodness sakes. "I should've asked for a Bella Swan cappuccino. Maybe that would've prevented me from being so tired."

"Anytime you want one, it's on me." Bella handed me her hot cup of cappuccino she had made earlier when we stopped by Java Monster. "I barely took a sip, remember? You can have the rest. I think you need it more than I do."

"Thanks." I replied and took it without hesitation. I needed the pick-me-up.

"So with the first week gone by, I'm hoping all of you have at least gotten a start on the written assignment." The whole class seemed to groan in unison and he did nothing but ignore us. "Oh, hush. I have another little twist for you all this week, and a new surprise every week until the end of the 28 days. Who wants to hear what it is?"

I took another sip of the cappuccino Bella had made, sighing softly at the feeling of the warm drink running down my throat. I had to give it to her, it really was one hell of a cappuccino. My attention turned towards the front of the room once I'd heard everyone muttering and saw Professor Peterson shuffling inside a box that was shoved off to the side.

"What do you think he's got up his sleeve this time?" Bella asked.

Before I could even make a guess, both our mouths dropped at what he pulled out of the box. In his hands was a costume wedding veil, garters and a "Just Married" sign. "As you all know, it has been a week as of today that all of you have been partnered up. In that first week you've all dealt with getting to know each other and finding that level of comfort with one another." He smiled widely. "Now that you're past that stage, it's time to gauge the reactions of your peers and those around you."

Someone raised their hand. "Professor Peterson, can you explain that in... words we can understand?"

I groaned in irritation. Maybe I was just cranky because I didn't get enough sleep, but seriously how hard was it to understand? He wasn't speaking gibberish.

"The girls are going to wear these veils, the boys will wear the garters around one of their arms, and you will post the Just Married sign on your car. You'll go out as you all usually do with all of it. Make mental notes and try to remember how people react to seeing you as newlyweds." He began handing out the veils and garters as everyone muttered complaints. "I'm not asking for much, class. I'm asking for one day. Remember what I said about falsifying the information? I can tell, so don't try to weasel your way around it."

Another person raised their hand. "Are we gonna have to like, be all cute with our partner and stuff?" Everyone laughed quietly.

"It would help if you did small things such as holding hands to receive better reactions from others. But I'll leave that completely up to you all."

I turned my head towards Bella, taking another sip of the drink. It was completely off topic, but if I didn't tell her soon, I knew that overly hyper and sometimes ill-tempered pixie I called a sister of mine would chew me out for it. "You know, Alice wants to hang out with you sometime soon."

"Alice?" Bella raised an eyebrow. "Your sister? Did I do something wrong?"

"No. She's just really friendly. She said she had some kind of a feeling you two were going to become really good friends."

Professor Peterson walked by our row and dropped the things in front of us as we both stared at it. With a laugh, Bella picked up the costume veil and put it on so it hung from her head to about her shoulders. She batted her eyelashes and swooned jokingly, "How do I look, Mr. Cullen?"

I chuckled and slipped the garter up my arm, matching her joking tone. "Like a newlywed, _Mrs. Cullen_."

* * *

As Professor Peterson expected, we had a lot of different reactions. I don't know which was weirder, people seeing a very young couple such as Bella and I as supposed "newlyweds" or people seeing newlyweds that didn't really look like newlyweds at all. I guess it would be weird to see a couple that had just gotten married and looked like they were hating every second of their new life from the moment they said "I do".

"Everyone's staring." Bella sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "Is this what Peterson wanted to happen? For his students to feel like they're being shunned upon? Everyone probably thinks we just got back from Vegas!"

I had to admit, the attention we were receiving was uncomfortable, to say the least. "Maybe they're looking at us funny because we don't look happy. Aren't married couples usually happy?"

She looked at me, baffled. "I'm happy."

"And I'm the Easter bunny."

Her eyes rolled at my remark and with a slight laugh she pushed me gently. "I'm serious, Edward! It's not that I'm angry at you, it's just I don't like how we're being looked at."

"It's because we're young, and they think we just got married. Their reactions are predictable, don't you think?"

Her brows furrowed and she nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right." Something seemed to have caught her attention as she began looking around. "Hey, I've got an idea."

"And what would that be?"

All of a sudden, she grabbed my arm. "Put your arm around me."

I laughed at her suggestion. "Wait, what? Why?"

"People will stop gawking at us like we have three heads if we look like an _actual_ couple. So, put your arm around me." Her face seemed a bit flushed and I couldn't help but laugh again.

"If you say so," I slipped my arm around her shoulders and felt her put hers around my waist shyly as we walked through the crowded plaza to find a place to eat.

"Everyone's smiling at us now." Bella pointed out.

"It's because we don't look like we hate each other now and they don't think we were forced to get married. So now they're happy for us."

"Maybe this essay will be easier to write than I thought?" She smiled and leaned in closer to me when a bicycler passed us while waiting at the crosswalk.

"Did you forget it's 5,000 words?" I chuckled.

"Thanks SO much for reminding me." she groaned in exasperation.

"Bells!"

I felt Bella stiffen underneath my arm and I didn't even have to turn around to put a face to go with the moronic, gruff voice that came from behind us. Hell, the nickname itself gave it away. "You don't have to deal with him if you don't want to."

"Bella!"

My arm wrapped tighter around her shoulders and I quickened our pace just a little bit. There was no way I was going to let him make her cry, _again_. He had caused her enough hurt already.

"_Isabella Marie Swan_!"

I turned my head and my eyes met the fierce gaze of his dark ones, a scowl instantly gracing his features. "Did you _need_ something?" My voice came out sounding almost like a growl.

"Why are you touching Bella." It didn't even come out as a question. It sounded more like he was growling back at me, still trying to be protective of what wasn't even his anymore and I prided myself in the fact that I could piss Jacob Black off without even trying.

"We're following Peterson's advice to receive better results for the assignment." I snorted. For some reason, he brought out the worst in me. It always seemed like my temper went from zero to sixty within just a matter of a few seconds whenever he was involved.

His brow furrowed as he turned to Bella. "You two aren't dating now, right?"

"I'm not one who finds a rebound relationship _right _after breaking up. I have morals." Bella bitterly spat, letting go of my waist. "I doubt you'd know anything about that though."

"I'm sorry, okay! I was an idiot, Bella." he reached out for her, but she backed away. "I should never have kissed Leah. There was never anything to test there, I should have known all along that you're the one! I'm so sorry I hurt you. Please, please give me another chance to prove how much I care about you."

When he'd mentioned Leah, it surprised me to see that she was nowhere in sight. I figured that they'd be inseparable. But then again, Jacob did seem to be bouncing back and forth between the two girls, so maybe Leah didn't want to hear him beg Bella to take him back. I knew I was tired of it already.

Bella sighed softly and avoided his pleading eyes. "It's not that easy." I was really hoping she wasn't crying because that would just end up with me knocking Jacob in the face and then I'd probably get arrested for public assault. I heard her groan as she continued. "You seriously can't expect something like that to just be looked over, Jacob. It doesn't work that way. If it did, everyone everyday would be 'testing their feelings' for one another. What point is there in being with someone if you want to be with someone _else_ at the same time?"

His hands clenched into fists as he exhaled the breath he was holding in. "Can we please go somewhere we can talk, in _private_?" He shot me a glare and hell if he thought I wasn't going to shoot one back - of course I did.

"Anything you can say to me, you can say in front of him."

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Once he opened them again, he went on, "You're right, Bella. You're exactly right - there is no point in being with someone if you want to be with someone else. That's why you're my choice. You're my someone. I don't want anybody else."

"Not anymore at least!" Jacob and I stared at her, shocked that she had raised her voice. "Dammit Jacob, why do you keep thinking it's alright?! You say you don't want anyone else, but you had to _test_ how you felt about Leah? Sure you don't want anyone else now, but what about tomorrow? Or the next day?"

I heard the weakness slowly creeping out of Bella's voice and I wanted nothing more than to grab her and take her far, far away from that damned drama-causing moron.

"You know what, Jacob? I'm going to be honest with you. These past couple of days with Edward, I'll admit, I started to think that I might've had feelings for him. _Might_." My eyes widened at her confession and Jacob stared at her in horror, staying quiet to let her continue. "But I never once thought about ever having to test my feelings for you by kissing him. I _never_ felt like I _needed_ to test my feelings for you! I could have easily tested them, but I never did because you were my boyfriend. YOU. Even though you were being a complete jerk, I would never do something like cheat on you!"

"Bella," Jacob's voice seemed to be abandoning him and I knew he must have felt like the biggest ass in the world after hearing that. Correction, he _was_ the biggest ass in the world, he was just barely realizing it. "I'm... so, sorry."

"Yeah, I know. I've heard that so many times over the past few days." she sighed again. "I believe you; I know you're sorry. So stop saying it alright? And just, leave me alone. Please."

It took me by surprise when she started walking away and I was about to chase after her, but Jacob's hand gripped my shoulder. It took everything in me to stand my ground and leave his face unharmed.

"I'm not giving up on her. Don't you dare think you can convince her into thinking I'm no good for her."

I snorted. "I don't _need_ to convince her of anything. She already _knows_ you're no good for her, couldn't you tell?" His mouth turned back into the scowl it was earlier as I shook my shoulder away from his grasp. "And even though Bella has a certain quality that draws her to me, I have enough decency to respect the fact that right now, she needs her space. Take a hint, Jacob. Maybe it'll help you in the future."

I didn't bother to listen to what he had to spit back at me. I didn't care to waste anymore of my time with him as I dashed off in the direction Bella headed off to. The tone of her voice gave her away. The fury she threw at him made it clear. She was still hurting. Of course she was still hurting. It's not every day you find out your boyfriend, who is also your best friend of many years, has cheated on you with a girl he supposedly "hates" for his sick father's sake. It was like something straight out of a soap opera.

A bright red London-style phone booth caught my eye and I instantly recognized the girl standing inside of it. If the booth hadn't been so vibrantly painted, I don't think I would've noticed it. Something was definitely wrong. Her arms were wrapped around herself, leaning to one side as I made my way over and pulled the handle so the door opened. She didn't move an inch as I moved in front of her and tried to get a look into her deep chocolate brown eyes.

"Bella," I whispered, placing my hands on her shoulders. "are you alright?"

Her eyes finally met mine and I was surprised that for once, there were no tears there. She didn't move, just leaned more against the side of the booth and tightened her arms around herself. "Why does it still hurt?" She pushed off the side and leaned against me surprisingly, burying her face in my shoulder.

I slowly wrapped my arms around her and felt hers circle around me as well. "The wounds are still fresh. Of course it's still going to hurt now, but you're strong, and you'll get through this."

She shook her head and I realized I had spoken too soon. She was crying again and it seriously, no doubt, broke my heart. I felt so helpless, so out of place when it came to Bella's tears. What was I supposed to say to make her feel better? What was I supposed to do to cease her tears?

"I hate thinking about it," she admitted while choking back a sob. "I hate remembering it."

"Then, don't think about it." I murmured into her hair, rubbing her back gently to calm her down. "And try not to remember it. Everything will be okay in time, Bella, I promise."

"Sorry." Her eyes finally met mine again as I gave her a small grin and wiped at her wet cheeks. "I hate that I've been crying so much in front of you. I feel like such a wimp."

"A wimp wouldn't have punched her ex in the face for cheating on her." I pointed out, smiling as she let out the carefree laugh I had been wanting to hear. "I'd say you're pretty macho."

"Macho, huh? Me?" Bella laughed as she wiped her eyes and held out her injured fist. "I'd hardly call this macho. I hurt myself more than I hurt him."

"You got your point across, that's all that matters."

She giggled again and I was glad I was at least good at one thing - distracting her from thinking about Jacob. "You want to know something Emmett's girlfriend, Rose always used to tell herself?" I opened the door of the confined space of the phone booth to let fresh air wash over both of us.

"What is it?" she asked, inhaling the air through her nose.

"It's a little long, and I don't know if I'll get it exactly correct, but," I tried to remember the words. "Everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart, so that better things can fall together."

Her eyes widened at the quote Rosalie seemed to live by as I tucked some of her hair behind her ear, letting my palm rest against her cheek. "What I want you to know is, Jacob Black didn't deserve the love you were giving him. It's not your loss, it's his, and you know it."

A heartfelt smile pulled at her lips as she placed her hand atop mine, leaning into my touch. "You, Edward Cullen, are the sweetest person I've ever met."

"I try." I joked, sighing softly as she kissed the inside of my wrist. "Now that we've caused another scene, how about we get some lunch?"

Her hands shot up to the top of her head where the costume veil still was and she gasped in horror. "That means, while Jacob and I were arguing, and you, and I, and OH! That damned Jacob Black!" she hissed. She probably just realized how much more attention we were getting at that time. The three of us looked like a soap opera come to life. Either way, we were bound to draw attention to ourselves, with or without Peterson's crazy props. After a while of muttering to herself about how big of an idiot he was, she finally took me up on my offer. "Okay. I'm fine now. Lunch sounds, good."

Her blazing eyes and fed up face said anything BUT "fine". I knew she wanted to tear that man limb from limb and I couldn't agree with her more. "Anything in particular you're craving?"

"_Carbs_." Bella replied, and I laughed loudly. Carbs were usually a woman's worst enemy, but I guess in Bella's case, her worst enemy as of now was a tall, dark-skinned, cheating asshole who needed to learn the definition of personal space. Maybe I'd get him a dictionary as a gift to be nice..

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_**End of Chapter Eight**_

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**Author's Notes:** Yay for a long chapter in Edward's POV! Speaking of which, we're getting progress with Edward and Bella now! If you guys enjoyed the moments between them here, you'll LOVE the next chapter. I have a BIG surprise for you all! :) I'll get to that at the last part of this note, I just have to point some things out first.

Some people have asked where I got the idea of this story from. I actually had to do a project similar to this in one of my classes. We never had to live together, but I decided by throwing that in, it'd spice up the story a bit. The wedding veil and garter part was something I had to do, and man let me tell you, people can hurt with their eyes! I'd never felt so insecure about walking around with a guy before! :(

Anyone ever watch The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan when she was still young and innocent? The London phone booth scene came from that movie. I don't know if anyone's ever watched Sailor Moon before, but it kind of came from that, too. I feel like a nerd for admitting I used to watch it, but hey, I'm a 90's kid so what can I say? :) They actually do have a few London-style phone booths IN Seattle, believe it or not! I know there are two located outside of restaurants for sure. Yeah, I actually do background research for my stories, okay! LOL.

So, yeah, Jacob's being a pain, but all ex's are at one point, don't you agree? And I know Bella's been crying an awful lot, but it will stop soon! I think by next chapter she'll be okay, and you'll all see why! Hint hint, nudge nudge! Last chapter ended up with 65 reviews, WOW! Can we try to get about the same amount, maybe even more (FANGIRL SQUEAL) for this chapter? TRUST ME, **next chapter has something you've ALL been waiting for**. HINT HINT HINT!

This is the longest author's note ever, so let me just end it with I love you all! And if anyone wants to know, the quote Edward recited was said by none other than the fabulous Marilyn Monroe. So, until next time then!

--_Burrberry Bugsy_


	9. With A Taste of Your Lips

**Author's Notes: **Yay for reaching 300 reviews! Thanks everyone! It's finally the weekend again, so hoorah for another update! This is the one you guys have ALL been waiting for, trust me. Or well, part of what you've been waiting for at least. This chapter's a long one, so enjoy!

Oh! **Voting has started for the Steamy Movie Crossover Contest held by TheThreeSmutketeers**, so PLEASE vote! If you've read either of my entries, "_**I Want You to Want Me**_" or "_**Mr. And Mrs. Cullen**_" and liked it, please please please vote for meeee! I'd love you all forever!

**Special thanks to:** **Shiro**, **Mineymai**, **luvscullenboys**,** SakuraAngel2001**, **Tricia** (aka **twilightnemo**), **twihard-fanpire**, **crazy wolf em**, **headovermyheels**, **Delaware** **forever**, **adorablecullens**, **Danielle**, and **harri85**! Whoo, long list, eh? :) To **mj twilighter**, I have to give my sincerest apologies because when I looked back at previous chapters, I noticed none of my shout outs ever showed up for you! :( I think the way I typed it made it so that it didn't show up, so I'm VERY SORRY! Do know that I've given you at least three or four shouts within the last chapters. Forgive me! Also, lots of thanks to **RaCullen** for never failing to give me such awesome feedback! You're absolutely awesome and I hope you like this chapter! And, all the love in the world to **Ms. Erica, **aka** IcelandGirl812** for being the best support system I've got and for always being consistent with those long reviews I adore so much! Love ya, girl!

One more thing! Please feel free to PM me about ANYTHING. I promise I'm friendly and I reply to reviews when I can. Even if it's just to blab about everyday life, I'm fine with that :) I like making friends, so please don't feel intimidated to talk to me outside of reviews. I actually like it when I get those PM's from people! :) Okay, okay, I'm a freak. On with the story!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Twilight or any of the characters. -Cries-

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**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Nine**

**With A Taste of Your Lips**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it be to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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**Bella Swan**

"I know it's not as great as your place," I dropped my keys on top of the kitchen counter and threw off the irritating wedding veil on my head. That thing had gotten me more weird looks and turned up noses than I'd ever gotten in my whole life! "But, this is home."

Edward put his boxes down on the floor and looked around my apartment. At the very beginning, we had decided to switch houses off every week. It was finally my turn to let Edward into my home and I had to admit, I was really skeptical about it. Not only was my apartment messier than his, but it was also smaller. "I like it."

I rolled my eyes and scanned through the mail I'd gotten from my box before we headed up. "You're _such_ a gentleman," I teased, throwing the letters down on the counter as well. "you don't have to lie. It's all I could manage to afford."

"All _you_ could manage to afford?" Edward seemed surprised. "You work at Java Monster. How are you able to afford this?"

"Well, all my money goes towards paying the rent. But I had money I had saved up and my parents help me out every so often."

"I see," he mused.

I nodded and put all of my mail onto the night stand by my bed, walking back out to the sad excuse of a living room where Edward still was. The calendar hanging on the wall caught my eye since Monday was circled a lot of times with, "PARTY AT BEN'S, DO NOT FORGET" scribbled in Angela's handwriting across it.

"What's today?" I asked Edward.

"Monday." he replied, laying back on the couch.

It took a while to process in my head, but I finally remembered. "Crap! It's Ben's surprise party." Angela had been talking about it for weeks since she had gone over the top with planning it all out. Since I was with Edward all of last week, it totally slipped my mind. I pulled out my cell phone to look at the time and saw that it was 6:43. I groaned loudly and slapped my forehead, scrambling around to look for a towel and an outfit I could wear. "Sorry, Edward, but I have to get ready. I completely forgot about this one party and if I don't show up, Angela will seriously kill me." I sprinted to the bathroom and turned the knobs, letting it run so the water would be warm. "You can stay here and watch TV if you want. Or you can catch up on some sleep? I shouldn't be back too late, maybe midnight at latest."

He stayed on the couch and watched me run in and out of my room in panic, chuckling softly. "Is this party strictly invitation only, or do you just not want me to come along?"

I blinked at him repeatedly, wondering if he actually wanted to go. "Umm. I don't think it'd be a problem at all because Angela has met you. Did you... _want_ to come?"

Edward ran his fingers through his hair and sat up. "The cappuccino really did the trick. I'm not as tired anymore and I don't really want to sit here and do homework while you're out having fun."

I sighed in relief. I hadn't even thought of asking Edward to come along and since he brought it up, I was more than glad to know I'd at least have someone to talk to. I knew most of the people who were going to be there but not that well. And even though Angela and I were good friends, I knew she'd be busy entertaining guests or she'd be around Ben most of the time since it was his birthday after all. "Can you drive there?" I finally asked after thinking to myself for a while.

"Don't I always?" he pointed out, smirking a little. "Your ancient truck has yet to earn my trust."

"Hey! My truck is old enough to be your car's grandfather. Have some respect for your elders!"

Edward's laugh echoed throughout the room I walked out of as I smiled as well and jumped into the warm and welcoming shower.

* * *

We arrived at the party a little later than expected, which was my fault completely. I'd taken too long a shower and was being indecisive about what I wanted to wear. Edward, on the other hand, was showered and dressed with fresh breath before my hair even had a chance to dry. I would never understand how easy it was for guys to just throw on an outfit and be satisfied with it.

As soon as I walked in with Edward right behind me, Angela came and threw her arms around me, screaming ecstatically. "I'm so happy you remembered, Bella! Thank you so much for coming!"

I giggled at her exuberance and hugged her back. "It's my pleasure, Ang."

Angela pulled away from our embrace and smiled at Edward politely. "I'm glad you could make it too, Edward. It's good to see you again." She turned back to me and gave me another hug. "There's food in the kitchen if you get hungry. I'd love to stay and talk but I have to go take care of a million other things."

I waved her off. "It's fine, don't even worry about it. I've got Edward to keep me company."

She smiled knowingly and straightened out the imaginary wrinkles on the knee-length skirt she was wearing. "If you see Ben, can you please wish him a happy birthday?"

"Of course." I replied, shooing her off since I knew she had other guests to greet.

I ran into a lot of people I hadn't seen in a while as Edward and I walked around the crowded house. I made sure to introduce him to everyone and surprisingly enough they were all friendly to him. A lot of Ben's friends were also friends with Jacob, and I couldn't help but be glad that they were all mature enough to not pick sides or ask for the full story of what happened between us.

"Bella!" I heard Ben call from across the room. He put his beer down and made his way over to me, scooping me in his arms for a big hug. "It feels like I haven't seen you in so long!"

I laughed when he put me down on my feet. "I know, I'm sorry. I've been busy. But, happy birthday! How's it feel to be 22-years old?"

He grinned and shook his head. "Nothing different. You'll understand when it's your turn."

"Which isn't until September," I pointed out. "Oh, and by the way. Ben, this is Edward. Edward, this is Ben, Angela's boyfriend."

"Happy birthday, Ben." Edward said as they shook hands. "I get where you're coming from with the 22 thing. At least you get to drink legally when you turn 21, but 22 comes with no type of benefit, right?"

"Exactly!" Ben laughed and bumped fists with him. "I like him, Bella!"

After they had talked a little more, Ben returned to his beer and continued to say hello to everyone else who had decided to come. We decided to call it a night around 11 once we had eaten a bit and made more conversation with some of the other people there. We were on our way out before that deep voice I knew all too well stopped us.

"Bella!"

Although I should've expected to run into him, I was seriously just really sick of it. "Sorry, Jacob, we're kind of on our way out."

"You've been here and you didn't even say hi?" he asked, a little shocked.

My eyes traveled to see Leah standing a few feet behind him, laughing and conversing with one of her friends she had probably just ran into. "_Hi, Jacob_." I hoped that was good enough for him. "We were just leaving."

I felt Edward's hand on the small of my back, pushing me towards the door. I'm pretty sure he knew exactly how I was feeling. I could do without seeing Jacob's face for the rest of the night, or even for the rest of the week.

"Hey, wait up." Jacob called out, walking in front of the door so we couldn't leave. "How about a game of beer pong, Cullen?"

This annoyed me. Not only was Jacob underage, but he was asking Edward to play when he knew he was the designated driver. I don't know what he was trying to pull, but if all he was aiming for was to piss me off, it was working.

"No thanks." Edward replied sourly, his brows furrowing when Jacob wouldn't move.

"Okay, then how's about a game of Bullshit?" He asked, shuffling a deck of cards in his hands.

"I have better things to do than sit around and watch you bluff over cards." Edward replied with a snort.

Jacob laughed and smiled at me, winking. "What's the matter, Cullen? You _scared_?"

That seemed to catch Edward's attention.

"I mean if you think you're going to lose, that's understandable. Your family never seemed to be one that could deal well with competition anyway."

My eyes widened and I suddenly wanted to slap Jacob across the face. It always came down to that damn family drama between them and I was getting sick of it. "Edward, you don't have to--"

"I'm in." he said automatically, joining Jacob and the other boys at the table.

"You can't be serious." I groaned. What was with boys and their unending needs to constantly prove they were better than the other? I would never understand they saw in competition. "You're not even old enough to drink legally, Jacob! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Jacob flashed a smile at me as someone poured alcohol into the shot glasses lined up on the table. "It's the same old game of BS everyone has played for years. Except we all take a shot every time all of us take a turn. The purpose of the alcohol is to mess up your ability to be coherent, so whoever wins, more power to you."

I looked at the guys sitting to see who was playing. Edward, Jacob, Ben, Mike Newton, and one of Jacob's long time friends, Embry Call were all around the table.

"You make the call, Cullen. How much are we all playing for?"

I don't know how many times I slapped my forehead, but I did it again. It was bad enough that they were going to be taking shots of alcohol, and now they insisted on playing for money. Fucking great!

Without a word, Edward reached into his back pocket and threw down two twenty dollar bills. Everyone followed his lead and threw in their share. There were five guys, five shot glasses, bottles of alcohol and two hundred dollars laid out on the table.

"Alright, boys, you all know the rules." Mike started. "First player to get rid of all their cards wins the share. There's three jokers we threw in to make the deck even. If you end up having one in your deck, use it to your advantage. No complaining if you make the wrong call and no excuses on not taking the shot." He raised his shot glass and every guy sitting around the table did the same. "Cheers!"

Their glasses all hit against each other and before I could blink, every guy had downed the alcohol easily. There were no chasers, so this was bound to get bad and _fast_. I guess the role of the designated driver was me now.

"What's going on?" Angela came up from behind, arching a brow at the boys around the table.

"They're playing BS." I groaned as I heard their shot glasses hit against each other once more. "The alcoholic version."

Angela laughed lightly and patted my shoulder. "At least his car isn't stick shift, right?" She pulled on my shirt gently, motioning with her head to the pool table. "Come on, they won't be done for a while. I'll keep you company."

I looked back at the boys, inwardly grinning as I saw Edward call bullshit on Mike. Mike groaned and grabbed the cards that had piled up in the middle.

"Nice one!" Ben laughed, high-fiving Edward as they started up again.

"Edward's made friends with your boyfriend, so I think he'll manage on his own." I laughed and followed Angela into room where people were playing Rock Band and pool.

* * *

After about an hour, Angela and I went back to the boys to check up on them. Two of the bottles of alcohol were already empty, there was a huge pile of cards in the middle, and Edward and Jacob seemed to both be in the lead since they had the least amount of cards.

"Hmm," Jacob grabbed a card. "A ten."

"Two jacks." Embry tossed two cards into the pile.

"One queen," Ben followed.

"A king." Mike threw his card into the pile.

One of the spectators poured the drink into their shot glasses once again, and once they were all finished, it was Edward's turn.

He only had three cards left and after staring at them for a brief second, he threw them face down into the pile. His face remained unreadable as he spoke, "Three aces."

"Bullshit." Jacob called, slamming his fist down. "Bull. SHIT."

Edward's mouth curved into a grin as he grabbed the three cards he had put down, flashing them at Jacob's face. "Wrong, my friend." They were in fact, three aces, which meant Jacob had just lost the game. Everyone cheered and hollered as Edward grabbed the twenties, handing them back to the guys. "I can't take your money, I didn't play to win your cash."

I smiled and breathed a sigh of relief, glad that it was finally over. Before I knew it, Jacob had his arm around my shoulder and was slurring, "Bells. He cheated. Didja see thaaaat?"

My brows furrowed and I tried to get him to balance against the wall. He was obviously drunk beyond his limits. "How did he cheat? You called him out on a bluff when he wasn't lying."

"Whatever, but did you know, I miss ya sooo much. Did I ever tell you that?"

His breath reeked of Jack Daniel's and Jose Cuervo. I hated how incoherent people became under the influence of alcohol. "Jacob, you're drunk. Go lie down."

He snorted and wobbled on his feet. "I'm not drunk, Bells. _You're_ drunk."

"I haven't had anything to drink." I countered, steadying him against the same wall. "I'm going to head home now, alright?" Once I had him leaning against the wall for support, I walked off and tried to find Edward so I could finally get out of there.

"Bells!" Jacob came stumbling behind me and I almost tumbled over when he fell into my arms. "Gimme a kiss, before you leave, hm?"

I struggled to stay on my own feet since he seemed to be putting all his weight on me. "Jacob! Get off!" With all the strength I could muster, I shoved him off as he wobbled on his feet and collapsed into the arms of someone else.

"Leah!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

My eyes averted back to him and immediately I regretted it. Right there in front of my face for the second time in a few days, Jacob had pulled Leah's face in for an alcohol-influenced kiss. She must've smelled the liquor and tasted it on his lips since she pulled away and examined his face, wiping her hands across his forehead since his face was hot and a bit sweaty.

I exhaled through my nose and turned away into another room to find Edward. I needed to get out of there - and _fast_ - before I had the chance to punch his teeth in again. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I heard the hoots and hollers of everyone and something that sounded like a table falling over. I ran back to where I'd just been and gasped in horror.

Edward and Jacob were on the floor taking hits at each other before Ben and Embry came to pull them off each other. Leah seemed just as horrified as I was and went to chase after them. My heart rate increased as I ran over to Ben and Edward. "Oh god, Ben, I'm so sorry!" I don't know what happened, but I really hoped this hadn't had ruined his birthday.

He chuckled softly and shook his head. "Don't even worry about it, Bella. I just need to clean this mess up a bit." The smell of alcohol was fresh in Ben's breath and I was stupefied at how well behaved he was, even while being drunk. I felt horrible.

"What happened?" I choked out as I watched Ben sit Edward down on the couch.

"Jacob was talking about Edward's family being conniving assholes, or something like that? Saying they'd never change, they'd always be the liars they've always been. Something along those lines, I couldn't understand him completely." Angela replied, rubbing my arms to try and calm me down.

My cheeks burned in anger after hearing that. Jacob seriously needed to fucking_ let it go_. It years - hell, DECADES ago. As pissed off I was, Edward was my main concern and I wanted to make sure he was alright as soon as possible.

Angela and Ben helped me get Edward into his silver Volvo and once he was securely buckled in, I hugged them both. "I'm so sorry again guys."

She squeezed me tight and laughed. "If anything, he just got everyone more riled up. Everyone suddenly had the desire to play boxing on the Wii."

Ben was wobbling a little but Angela held him up steadily as he pulled me into his arms for a hug. "Don't worry about it at all. Nothing was damaged, so it's fine. Just make sure he's okay. Give me a call if you need any help alright?"

I nodded and waved at them as they walked back inside of the house. Or well, Angela was walking and Ben was stumbling all over the place. The door slammed shut and I grabbed the car key out of Edward's back pocket, not even caring about the awkwardness of it.

"Dammit," I grumbled as I turned the key in the ignition.

"My face hurts kinda." Edward muttered, rubbing at his cheek.

My face faltered at his complaint and if it were any other time, I would've thought it was cute. "Edward Cullen, how could you do something so stupid?!" I felt like a mother scolding their child, but I was mad_. Really_ mad.

Edward sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, wincing at the tone of my voice. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

* * *

I threw open the door to my apartment and dragged Edward in, groaning in relief when I finally got him sprawled out on the couch. "I'll be right back. I'm just going to get you some ice." It was pointless for me to try and make conversation with him since he was drunk and probably couldn't comprehend what I was saying, but I did it anyways. As fast as I could, I ran to the freezer and grabbed the ice tray, slamming it against the inside of the sink until the cubes rattled out. I also grabbed two slices of bread and a glass of water, returning to the ice. Once I had them wrapped in a dish towel, I ran back to Edward and put it on his left cheekbone right under his eye.

He hissed and tried to turn away. "Cold."

"I know, but it's going to swell if you don't put this on it," I held the ice there for a few more seconds until he relaxed. "Are you okay?"

His headed moved up and down and I figured he was nodding. "So pretty,"

My heart skipped a beat and I couldn't help but laugh softly. He was drunk and didn't know what the hell he was saying and yet, he still knew how to make me blush. "You're pretty too, Edward."

"You're prettier." Even intoxicated he was still able to pull off that damned crooked grin of his. "Sorry, for hitting Jacob."

"He deserved it." I snorted and brushed the hair from his forehead. It was silky and soft, as I always thought it would be. "I just feel bad he hit you back."

Edward exhaled through his nose and closed his eyes. "I have a headache."

"I know," I sighed and ripped a piece of the bread. "Do me a favor and eat this."

He opened his mouth and I couldn't help but blush like a schoolgirl when I put the bread in. There was nothing to get all flushed over! I was feeding a drunk guy bread so he'd sober up, what was so romantic about that? Inwardly, I groaned and tried to put a hold on myself.

"How's your cheek?" I asked after he swallowed down a few more chunks of bread.

"Stings." he replied simply. I knew he was tired but I had to keep him awake at least until he sobered up a little.

"You shouldn't have even drank."

His green eyes softened and turned to me. "You're mad, aren't you?"

I was, I _really_ was. Edward was smarter than that and he let himself get sucked into Jacob's idiotic games because he wouldn't shut his trap about their family issues. "I'm frustrated that you let him get to you."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "I know. I'm sorry."

"But more than anything," I shook my head. "I was so worried when I saw you both on the floor. I don't know _your_ strength, but I know Jacob's. I knew very well how much he was capable of hurting you and I was afraid that the alcohol made it even worse."

Edward's eyes opened again as he stared at me in wonder. It surprised me that he could even have a normal conversation at this point. "You were worried about me?"

"Of course!" I immediately regretted raising my voice since he had flinched a little at my tone. His head was probably still pounding and my yelling wouldn't help him any. "Of course I was worried about you. How could I not be?"

He gave me a crooked grin. "I'll admit, Jacob hit me pretty hard but I made mine count as well. Forgive me, I think I might have broken his nose and re-busted his lip."

I couldn't help but laugh and handed the cup of water to him so he could drink some of it down. "Well, you finally managed to rearrange his face like you promised."

"You're not upset?" he asked as he swallowed most of what was in his cup. I took it from him and went to go refill it. "I didn't want to resort to violence but I couldn't help it."

I took a seat next to him as he sat up and started drinking the water I'd brought over. "As much as I care about Jacob, his behavior lately has just been pissing me off." I shook my head and sighed, remembering his drunk make-out session with Leah that happened right in front of me. "I wish he'd just... make up his mind. He wants me one day, then he wants Leah the next. I can't even imagine how frustrating that must be for her."

"Do _you_ still want Jacob?"

The question surprised me. I turned to face Edward, but he avoided my gaze and continued to nibble at the bread I'd given him earlier. "What makes you think that?"

He shrugged. "You guys have known each other for forever. And, you broke up very recently. It's... normal to still want to be with someone you've been with for a while, right?"

I smiled to myself at how caring he was. "Yes we've known each other for forever basically, but," I paused and Edward turned to me. "I don't think I've ever really loved Jacob in a more than friends way. I mean, yeah, I _liked_ him as more than a friend but it was never more."

I felt his eyes on me and knew he was waiting for me to continue. "Jacob says he loves me, but I never felt the same way. I kept waiting and kept telling myself it'd only be a matter of time until my heart finally felt for him the way he did for me. I _wanted_ to love him, but you can't force something like that to happen. He said he's always loved me, and it didn't matter if I didn't love him the same way yet, because he knew somewhere deep down, I loved him too and that it'd happen sooner or later. It's been maybe, three or four months that Jacob and I have been in an actual relationship and those feelings have yet to surface."

He set his cup down as I went on. "When I opened the door and saw Jacob and Leah kissing, I was so hurt. Not only because he was kissing someone else who wasn't me, but because it was seriously the last thing I was expecting. I felt like I never had to worry about something like that since we've been best friends since we were kids. He knows what hurts me, what makes me cry, what breaks me down. Even if I never found out, it still means he would've done it. He did it thinking I wouldn't find out. It makes me wonder how many times this has happened in the past.

"It felt like my whole world was crashing down around me because the person I trusted the most had betrayed me. I cried so much because I'd never felt that way before. He stabbed me both in the back and in the heart at the same time. I wasn't sure what to do - what I even _could_ do with the situation. It's obvious Jacob's torn right now. He doesn't know what he wants or what he needs. But I'm through with crying and I'm done with being upset. I'm actually kind of glad this happened because if not, I'd be waiting for myself to feel something more for him.. It made me realize, that Billy maybe was right after all." I exhaled and felt my stomach turning at the idea of finally admitting it out loud. "I was being overemotional about it at first because I love Billy like a second father. That he preferred Leah over me, that just made me feel so..." I paused and tried to think of the word I was looking for. "I don't know, unwanted? Second best?"

"Bella," Edward started, but I didn't let him finish. I shook my head and continued on.

"But if Jacob can be happy with Leah, then that's all I want. I've been thinking about it for the past few days and a talk with my dad, surprisingly, helped me realize a lot. He told me that the relationship between Jacob and I and the friendship are two different things completely. I was afraid that because of this whole thing, I'd never be able to look at Jacob the same way. I'll admit, right now, it's really hard to look at him and not be upset because of what he did. I don't think I could ever go back to being his girlfriend, but I do hope someday, eventually, we can be friends again. I just need time away from him is all." I took a deep breath and felt so much better at being able to say it all out loud. "So to answer your question, no I don't want Jacob that way anymore."

Edward's face remained unreadable as he nodded. I wasn't even sure if he had been paying attention to anything I had said.

"Did I bore the living daylights out of you?" I giggled, embarrassed at how long I'd rambled on about my feelings towards the break-up situation.

"Not at all." Edward replied, running a hand through his messy hair. He didn't say anything after that and I didn't mind. I'm sure he didn't really have anything planned to say to that. All I needed was for him to listen and he did just that.

"How are you feeling?" I asked after the silence between us became too much to bear. I put my hands on his cheeks and sighed with relief. "You're not burning up anymore. That's good. I'm just going to get you some Tylenol for your headache," I pushed myself up off the sofa and before I could take another step further, Edward's hand gripped my wrist lightly as he stood up beside me. "What's wrong?" I asked.

He opened his mouth to say something but it looked like he was having an inner battle with what he was trying to tell me. "Bella, I want you to know something." His grip lightened on my wrist as he continued, "The whole family drama with the Black's... I want you to know I was never really involved in it. Alice, Emmett, and I have all tried to distance ourselves from it because we're not Carlisle and Esme's biological kids."

My eyes widened. I had completely forgotten that they were all adopted.

"But Carlisle and Esme don't mention it at all. They rarely ever do. It's just as unimportant to them as it is to us. We all know it's there, we just choose not to acknowledge it since we're all adults. I know you're probably wondering why I'm telling you this, but trust me, I have a point." He ran a hand through his hair again and focused back on me. "Today was the first time any of my family members have taken action upon one of the Black's, so I know I'll be getting a lecture from Carlisle sometime soon."

I wasn't exactly sure if he was drunk babbling because I had no clue where he was trying to go with this explanation. "What are you trying to tell me, Edward?"

He sighed heavily. "I want you to know that I didn't hit Jacob because of what he said about my family. It was when he said Leah was better than you after all, that I had to shut him up."

My mouth dropped open in shock and I quickly placed my hand over it so it didn't look like I was trying to catch flies. "Angela... didn't tell me that part."

Edward shook his head. "I wouldn't expect her to."

I sighed and closed my eyes, rubbing my temples in aggravation. Like I said before, I hated how incoherent alcohol made people sometimes. Then again, I also heard that the truth comes out when you're intoxicated, so maybe that's how Jacob felt all along and was only running back to me because he comfortable with me.

"Bella, I.. Look, I'm.. Ughh...!" He groaned quietly and ran his hand frustratingly through his hair. I was surprised he wasn't balding at how often he did that. His eyes were smoldering with something more he wanted to tell me, and I wished he would just spit it out already.

"Would you just tell me?" I huffed. "Whatever it is, just say it."

His hand ran down his face, placing it on the back of his neck after, sighing softly. "Bella, please don't think any differently of me after I tell you this." I gave him my word through our eye contact and he went on with another long sigh. "I know we've only known each other for what, a week and that you and Jacob just broke up, but, I can't help wanting... to _be there_ for you."

He didn't give me a chance to say anything, not like I even could at the moment. "I kept trying to tell myself to stop because I know you're still upset over this. But when Jacob makes you cry, or when your eyes become so hauntingly depressed, I can't help but reach out to try and make you smile again. I'm not..." Edward paused and put his hand back around my wrist. "I'm not saying I want you to be with me, I just... I want it to be _okay_ with you, me feeling this way. I needed to tell you."

If I had been in a romantic chick flick where the girl swoons and faints because of something sweet a guy had said, I think that would've been my moment.

"Say something." Edward groaned, pulling at his hair again anxiously. It didn't occur to me that I'd just been staring at him blankly. "Or did I just completely scare you off?"

I exhaled the breath I was holding and looked up at him, surprised to see his cheeks with a hint of pink on them. I never thought I'd see Edward Cullen look as flushed as he just did. "No. No, you didn't scare me off. I'm just... surprised." Surprised was an understatement. "And, it's... fine that you feel, that way. I'm flattered. And very glad that you told me."

He smiled at me and pulled my chin up so our eyes were locked. "There's, something I want to try. If it's okay with you, that is."

"Which is..?" I'm sure my voice must've sounded so pathetic.

"Can I kiss you?"

I was sure my face was the brightest shade of red it ever was in my life. It was obvious he was finally sobering up, but I wanted to be completely sure because if I was going to kiss him, I didn't want alcohol to be the reason. "You're drunk though, Edward."

"Not enough to not know what I'm doing. You took good care of me." He shook his head and his green eyes softened. "But if there's _any _part of you that would be uncomfortable with it, I won't. I want you to tell me if it would be okay or not."

My erratic heart wouldn't calm down as his hand brushed my cheek in a gentle caress. I couldn't even get myself to speak. I wanted to say yes, _HELL_ yes, but the words refused to slip through my mouth as his thumb traced my lower lip. "Bella,"

Instead of embarrassing myself by trying to tell him just how much I wanted him to, I just nodded and closed my eyes, waiting for him to close the small distance between us.

Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long. The warmth of his lips finally came against my own and I couldn't help but sigh softly. My hands crawled their way up his chest and my arms locked around his neck to pull him closer. I felt one of his hands on the small of my back and the other holding my face as he gently but passionately parted my lips with his, feeling his warm breath fill my lungs. My heart picked up another couple of beats as I moved my lips feverishly against his own, tangling my fingers in his disheveled hair.

I always wondered what it would be like to kiss him and now that I was, it almost seemed somewhat surreal. I was actually kissing my crush of five years ago! How often did that happen?

Eventually we broke away, much to my dismay. His eyes were shining and his lips had curved into the endearingly sexy grin I had liked so very much. "Wow," he chuckled while inhaling through his nose. "Really, _wow_."

"I know," I breathed, still running my fingers through his hair. "That was... _wow_." There were no other words to describe it, but I could honestly say it was absolutely, breathtaking. The fire was still coursing through my veins and my lips still ached to touched by his own. It was seriously like nothing I'd ever felt before. But then again, Jacob had been the only guy I'd ever kissed and it was nothing compared to that.

"Can I ask you something else?" Edward asked, as he continued to caress my face.

"Anything." I answered a little too quickly.

He chuckled. "I really hope I'm not pushing my limits of being forward, but go out on a date with me?"

It was my turn to smile, and shyly I asked, "The first official one?"

"Well, technically yes." he laughed and brushed my hair back gently. "I don't count the dinners we had together. But then again, if you're not okay with it, we won't."

I nodded and bit my lip, surprised at how jumpy my insides were. "I'm okay with it."

He grinned and placed his forehead against mine. "I never imagined I'd still feel this way after so many years. Or well, I'll admit, they faded into the back of my mind after so many years of never running into you, but this week has just reignited them all for me."

Again, I nodded and closed my eyes to enjoy the moment of being so close to him.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he whispered.

Before I could even ask what he meant by that, his lips came down on mine again as my eyes slowly fluttered closed. _That's_ what he was apologizing for - kissing me again. Not like I minded. My hands found their way into his hair again as his came to my hips where they played with the fabric of my shirt. His lips were so soft, so welcoming. He parted my lips with his and I let out a shaky breath, tightening my grip in his hair. Before it heated up any further, there was a loud knock at the door that made both of us tear off each other.

"Ignore them?" he suggested playfully as he nuzzled his face against my hair. "Who would it be at nearly midnight anyway?"

I laughed and pushed his cup of water and unfinished slice of bread at him. "Even though you're pretty much sober, finish it. It will help you not have a hangover tomorrow."

Once he took them both, I walked over to the door and opened it, my mouth literally dropping at the sight of who was on the other side.

"Leah?"

She stood where she was with a drunk, bloody-nosed Jacob hanging on her shoulder.

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_**End of Chapter Nine**_

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**Author's Notes:** YAY THEY FINALLY KISSED! I was trying to debate on whether I wanted to wait it out a little longer, but I figured it was time. They're not together, they just kissed and agreed to go on a date. Don't flame me for moving too fast! I've still got a long ways to go with them! -Shields self from thrown objects- Oh, and about the alcoholic version of BS, it's something my brother plays a lot with his friends. It's more of a testosterone type thing, so I thought I'd try it for this chapter :) Oh yeah, Edward's POV next chapter!

If you guys didn't see, **VOTING HAS STARTED** for the SMC Contest on TheThreeSmutketeers profile page!** PLEASE VOTE FOR ONE OF MY ENTRIES** if you liked it enough!

Questions, comments, anything? Feel free to PM! As one of my favorite authors, ObsessingOverEdward, on here always says, **"Feed my addiction and review"**, please? Thanks everyone! Until next time then!

--_Burrberry Bugsy_


	10. Killing Me Softly

**Author's Notes: **Hooray for the weekend being here again! Tomorrow is Valentine's Day! Who's excited? I'm not. HAHA. Not to sound bitter towards the holiday, but I don't have anyone special to celebrate it with. It's okay though, I think I'm just going to stay home and watch romantic movies and eat lots of food. LOL. So anyways, thank you all so much for all of the reviews! Almost at 400! Yippee! Also, many thanks for 35,000+ hits, 200+ favorites, and 400+ alerts on this story! I know it doesn't seem like much compared to the other authors who have thousands upon thousands of reviews and whatnot, but all of this is good enough for me. I love you all. :)

**Special thanks to: bab1067, luvscullenboys, ReachingAsIFall, TwiDi, Music Rainbows, bella-books, SakuraAngel2001, crazy wolf em, Shanda, Lillie Cullen, and missmaj**! Oh gosh that list is super duper long. HAHA, also! Kudos to **Delaware forever** for being very clever and finding out something I didn't think anyone would catch! Thank you **RaCullen** for never, ever failing to make me blush at your amazing reviews! Many thanks to **mj twilighter** for making me scream in excitement at the compliments, **Michelle M. Marie** for staying up late to finish reading everything I had posted up and **whenpoetryrises** for reviewing more than I think she needed to. I appreciated it so much though, so thank you thank you!

Also, all the love in the world to **Erica** (**aka IcelandGirl812**), who is my shoulder and my support through this story. We both have a big secret that I can't wait to reveal sooner or later! Right Erica? :) Thank you for another one of your long reviews that I enjoy reading so much. You're the best! Love, love, love ya!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight. Please stop reminding me.

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**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Ten**

**Killing Me Softly**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it be to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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**Edward Cullen**

_Can I kiss you_? I couldn't believe I finally spit it out. Something inside of me was telling me she still needed time to heal, that I'd be rushing things if I tried to kiss her. But, I was sick of waiting. I couldn't deny how badly I'd wanted to kiss her just once and now was my chance. I wasn't about to let it slip away.

Her eyes fluttered closed with a slight nod of her head and I knew that was her way of saying yes. I closed the distance between us and felt her sigh softly at the feel of our lips finally touching. I pressed one of my hands on the small of her back and moved the other to cradle the frame of her face, parting her lips with mine. The feeling of her warm breath against my mouth was beyond words. Our lips moved heatedly against each other as I felt her twine her fingers in my hair and I have to admit, I really liked how it felt.

That was the first time we had kissed. I was hoping for a second one that would be just as great, but we were rudely interrupted when a loud knock came at the door. I had Bella in my arms, her pouty swollen lips just begging me to kiss her over and over. "Ignore them?" I suggested playfully as I buried my nose into her strawberry-scented hair. "Who would it be at nearly midnight anyway?"

She laughed lightly and pushed the cup of water and unfinished slice of bread at me. "Even though you're pretty much sober, finish it. It will help you not have a hangover tomorrow."

I fought back a smirk when she went to answer the door as I took a sip of the water like a good boy. If only she knew I wasn't nearly as drunk as I made it seem. I honestly just wanted a reason to sock Jacob in the face since he deserved nothing less. As bad as it seemed, I knew I'd get cut more slack if everyone thought my anger was strictly because of intoxication and nothing else. Plus, I got Bella to take care of me, so it worked out in my favor anyway.

"Leah?"

That caught my attention as I peeked over her head and saw none other than Leah standing there with a drunk, bloody-nosed Jacob hanging on her shoulder. I practically spit my water back out and immediately felt my anger flare up.

"What... are _you_ doing here?" Bella asked, sounding as shocked as I had looked.

Leah fidgeted a little and sighed softly. "He wouldn't shut up about wanting to come here to talk to you. He threw such a fit that I had to U-turn at an intersection where it wasn't allowed."

I wasn't prepared for Bella's response.

"Do I have some kind of a flashing sign outside that says I'm a drunk caretaker or something? No! No, I don't want to deal with Jacob right now, YOU handle him." Bella hissed in a tone I hadn't heard her use before. But then again, it was Leah Clearwater and Jacob Black on the other side of the door. The cheater, and the woman he had cheated on Bella with.

"Bella, I know you're more than upset with me which is understandable, but Jacob--"

"--is the one who started all this by running his mouth."

Leah sighed. I was getting impatient and Bella looked like she was about to shove her foot into Leah's face.

"I know you probably don't like me, at all," Leah started. "but I didn't come here for me, I came here because it's what Jacob wanted. He's drunk and he's bleeding and he's hurt and I don't know what to do."

"Tylenol, ice, and a bucket for him to throw up in, goodbye Leah." Bella grabbed the handle of the door to close it but Leah stopped her.

"Are you mad about the kiss?" she asked. Goodness, her audacity surprised me. I just wanted to yell out, 'No Leah, she doesn't like the color of your hair, that's why she's making it very clear she doesn't want you around. It's your hair, dammit.' Instead of causing more trouble, I bit my tongue and kept quiet.

Bella's eyes narrowed and her grip on the door handle tightened. "Please leave."

"He initiated the kiss, Bella... He was the one telling me we should try it out, him!"

The whole room went silent before Leah spoke again.

"And I couldn't help it, Bella. I... I like Jacob, and I know it doesn't make it okay that I agreed to kiss him, but he assumed you had already cheated on him with Edward anyway. I was just trying to let him know I was there for him if you weren't going to be."

That's when I had had enough. Both Leah and Jacob's mouths seriously just had minds of their own. At least Jacob was drunk when he was spewing nonsense, but Leah hadn't drank at all. "Leah, I think Bella has made it clear that she doesn't want to deal with either of you right now. Respect her wishes and leave, please."

Leah sighed. "Please don't turn your back on him when he needs you most."

"You don't know anything about what's been going on between us," Bella spat, and I knew her patience was wearing very thin.

"Okay, Bella, he cheated on you. So what? Big whooping deal. He's been trying to make up for it every single day you guys have been apart. He still wants you, but you're just too preoccupied with Mr. Bronze Boy over there to realize how much he loves you. Open up your eyes and try to recognize the difference between love and lust, would you?"

"You're _just_ as confusing as Jacob!" Bella's grip tightened on the door handle. "You say you really like him, yet here you are! At his ex girlfriend's house. Just which direction are you planning to head in anyway? I'd like to know so I don't keep getting caught up in the middle!"

"I just want him to be happy." Leah admitted, holding Jacob closer to her. "And obviously what makes him happy is _you_, so there. As much as I want him, what else can I do if you're the one his heart is calling out to?"

"He _kissed_ you, Leah. You said so yourself, he initiated the kiss. That means he wanted to test his feelings for you. During that time, he wasn't thinking about my feelings at all otherwise he wouldn't have done it. Don't you think that means something?"

"Why do you keep pushing him away, Bella?!" her voice rang out loudly, making me wince a little since my head was still hurting just a bit. "He _loves_ you! He loves YOU. Get over your godforsaken high school crush and just realize how much he cares! Do you really think what you may possibly feel for Edward will even come remotely close to how you felt about Jacob? You already know Edward will never be half the man Jacob is! Stop treating him like dirt because of one mistake! Bella--"

"Just fucking LEAVE!" Bella growled and slammed the door shut, giving Leah no chance whatsoever to finish what she had to say. The click of the lock was heard as she screamed out in frustration, stomping into her bedroom to fall face first onto her queen sized mattress.

I groaned as I followed her and ran my fingers through my messier than usual hair. I didn't have a "So your ex boyfriend and the woman he cheated on you with appeared at your front door" for dummies speech ready in my head. I seriously had absolutely no clue what to say. With a soft sigh, I shut her door and sat next to her on the bed, rubbing her back. "Bella, are you alright?"

She hissed something out but I couldn't understand it since her face was buried deep in her pillow. I pushed her shoulder lightly so she rolled onto her back with her eyes glued to the ceiling. "What did you say?"

"I said, I hope she slips and falls into a goddamn puddle!"

I laughed at that and brushed the hair out of her face, glad to see there were no tears streaming down. "Would it help if I said you're pretty hot when you're pissed?"

Her eyes narrowed at me. "What is it with guys and thinking the weirdest things are hot?"

I shrugged because honestly, I didn't know either. I just knew it was true. "Bella, don't let what she said get to you. It was ignorant of her to say something like that."

She placed her hand over her face and sighed. "It annoyed me, that's all. I just... feel bad."

"Feel bad?" What the hell? Feel bad for what?

Her hand stayed over her face. "Things, I guess, were beginning to look up for us. Or, that's what I thought. And then Leah had to come here and ruin it. She makes it seem like I have so much emotional baggage that comes along with being with me. I just hope it doesn't scare you off."

Of all things... I pulled her hand off her face and lost myself in her deep brown eyes. "Bella, I'm not going anywhere. Well, not like I could because if I left, then I'd fail the assignment.." She pouted at me as I chuckled and traced the outline of her bottom lip with my thumb, continuing, "The last thing I want to do is rush through any of this. The kiss, that was plenty enough for me. I know you just got out of a relationship and I know you still care about Jacob in one way or another. What kind of a person would I be to rush you to get over something like that?"

Bella closed her eyes and sighed, her breath warming my thumb as she exhaled. "But what kind of a person would I be to make you wait for me?"

"Hasn't anyone ever told you some things are worth waiting for?"

Her mouth dropped open a little as I gave her a crooked grin and kissed her forehead softly. I didn't think anything else needed to be said between us. "Get some rest, Bella. It's really late and you have class in the morning." I got up and headed towards the door. It'd be a good idea if I got some sleep, too. I had a long shift awaiting me at 7 AM.

"Edward?"

I turned my head towards her before I opened the door. "Yes?"

"I don't know how to thank you for everything you've done for me. I was supposed to be taking care of you tonight, not the other way around."

"I'd hardly consider that as me taking care of you," I chuckled, remembering Bella slam the door in Leah's face. "I just think of it as me being the shoulder for you to lean on."

She smiled and brought her knees up to her chest. "You're too sweet for your own good."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Bella smiled at me once again to reassure me she would be okay, and blew a kiss with a pink tint staining her cheeks. I knew this time it wasn't to tease me, so I caught it and put it in the front pocket of my pants. "Good night, Bella."

"Night, Edward."

I pulled the door closed behind me so she could change into her pajamas and get washed up. My eyelids were beginning to get heavy and it didn't occur to me until then how tired I was. The cappuccino's affect had worn off a long time ago. I kicked off my shoes and unbuckled my belt, not even bothering to get dressed because I was seriously beginning to feel very sleep deprived. My body crashed down onto the sofa as I exhaled and let myself mold into its softness.

My insides warmed a little at the thought of Bella and I taking another small step in the right direction. I was more than happy with where we were at and I could settle for it for however long I needed to. The last thing that floated through my mind were those soft, full lips I'd kissed earlier and how badly I wanted to be graced with the pleasure of being able to kiss them again sometime soon.

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I woke up to my phone vibrating next to my head as my alarm, noticing the sky outside was still dark. I groaned quietly and stretched out my arms, feeling a blanket roll off of me as I looked down surprisingly. Bella's head was on the sofa cushion and her body sprawled out on the floor. Had she slept in that awkward position just because she wanted to make sure I was warm enough? I couldn't help but smile at her gesture and pulled her into my arms as gently as I could to prevent waking her. I walked into her room and placed her on the bed, pulling the covers up to her shoulders as she snuggled into the softness.

She looked so peaceful and I couldn't help but stare. Bella was, without a doubt, so incredibly beautiful to me. With a heavy sigh, I bent down and kissed the crook of her neck, knowing if I looked at her sleeping form any longer, I'd never be able to leave. Grudgingly, I hopped in the shower and got ready just in time to toast a piece of bread for my sad excuse of breakfast. I finished it in a few bites and dusted the crumbs off my scrubs, grabbing my keys off the counter. My hair smelled like Bella's, and I knew Emmett was bound to make some crude remark and ask if I slept with her.

The drive to the hospital was irritatingly long. Every stop light I had gotten to always turned yellow or was already red, people continuously cut me off, and a handful of dim-witted idiots failed to put their turn signals on. I hated how stupid drivers were sometimes. When I pulled into the parking lot, I clipped my work badge onto the front of my shirt and headed inside. "Good morning" greetings were passed along as I continued down the hall, seeing Emmett once again at the vending machine.

"Why don't you just give up on that thing already, jeez." I groaned, running a hand through my hair that was still just a little damp.

Emmett turned towards me, a big grin plastered on his face. "I'm not buying anything yet. I have a plan, Edward."

I raised a brow. "A plan?"

"Yes. I keep wasting quarter after quarter trying to get my Doritos. But, I've decided," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a quarter that had a string somehow attached to it. "I'm not going to waste any more money!"

I stared at him through narrowed eyes. "Exactly _how_ did you get a hole through a quarter?"

"A power drill."

My brother was an idiot. He found enough time in his day to drill a hole through a quarter so he could try to outplay the vending machines? It made me wonder what Rosalie must have said when she saw that. "Emmett, you went through all that trouble for your Doritos?" I shook my head. "You _do_ know there's a gift shop here that sells that huge bag for about fifty cents more than what you waste on this machine, right?"

Emmett crossed his arms and let out a big booming laugh. "Oh, my dear, brother. You're so naïve."

I didn't understand how exactly that was me being naïve, but I just decided to let it go. It was his money anyway.

"Hey, you smell like a chick!" he pointed out once he was close enough to get a whiff. "Ooh Eddie, this is awesome. Give me details. Did you guys bubble bath together? Eh? Eh?!" He jabbed my ribs with his elbow lightly with that big stupid grin on his face again.

"We switched off, so we're staying at Bella's place now. There's nothing more to it than that."

"Tell me you guys at least sleep in the same bed."

"If she wanted me to, then she'd ask. But so far, I'm on the couch and I'm fine with it."

His mouth dropped. "And I had some sort of crazy idea you actually liked this girl."

"I _do_," I admitted. "Just because I haven't slept with her, doesn't mean I don't like her. We've kissed, and that's enough for me now."

Suddenly his face regained composure as he wagged his eyebrows at me. "There we go, that's what I wanted to hear! What was it, a hot and heavy make out against the wall?"

I groaned and slapped my forehead. His testosterone level must have been sky rocketing. "More like an innocent, non-French kiss."

"_That's_ it?" he asked, astonishment written all over his face. "Jeez, you guys have been underneath the same roof this long and all you've done is kiss like you're both in middle school? What's the matter with you?!"

"Emmett," I growled, getting irritated.

"Okay," Emmett sighed, crossing his arms. "I want you to know I'm here for you. And that I feel bad and that I'm _sorry_ you're not a MAN!"

I knew that was coming. He always told me that every time I failed to hit home base, or any base, with a girl. There was one time where I'd decided to date the receptionist's sister because she had been eyeing me for quite a while, or so Kate (the receptionist) said. Her sister, Tanya had come to meet Kate for lunch once and saw me going back and forth trying to get everything done. She asked Kate about me and Kate played cupid. It was okay for a while, maybe because I liked being in the company of a woman. We went on a few dates but never went any farther than late night kissing. Eventually, I got tired of her pushing me to be in a relationship with her and we simply stopped seeing each other. It didn't matter to me at the time since it seemed all she wanted was the physical bonuses of being in a relationship.

There was much more to it than that. There was how your heart felt every time you were around the person. Or how many butterflies you had prior to seeing them and the way you could seem to lose yourself in their eyes. There was being able to talk about anything and everything that would come to mind, and just enjoying being in one's presence.

"Are you spacing out again?"

My head snapped up at Emmett's loud voice. I didn't realize I was in my own world again.

"I don't see what's so interesting about that chair. You've been staring at it for the past couple of minutes."

"Sorry." I mumbled, walking away. I heard Emmett saying something but my phone distracted me as I pulled it out, "Hello?"

"Edward,"

My brow raised a little at hearing her voice. "Bella, good morning. I'm sorry I left without saying anything but I had to get to work and I didn't want to wake you."

"Oh, yeah, it's okay. I was just about to ask you that, actually." she laughed, and the rustling on the other end sounded like she was pulling her clothes on. "I was just wondering where you were is all."

I smiled to myself and grabbed a clipboard one of the nurses had handed to me as I passed by. "What time are you out of class today?"

"11." she answered.

That would work nicely. "Would you mind if I picked you up around noon to have lunch with me?"

"Aren't your breaks usually around 1?"

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I took it an hour earlier."

She was quiet for a second before she answered. "Well, okay then. Lunch sounds great, actually. You'll come get me at school or should I go to the hospital?"

"I'll get you in front of the B building."

"Alright, I'll see you at noon then."

"I look forward to it," I replied and smiled when we exchanged our goodbyes. Once we had hung up, I pressed a number on my speed dial and waited while it rang.

"Hello?"

"Alice? It's Edward."

"Edward?" her voice sounded surprised.

"I need you to do something for me."

* * *

Noon came faster than I thought since things at the hospital were a bit slow. I felt bad once I pulled up in front of the B building, already seeing Bella standing there with her book bag slung over one shoulder. I didn't know how long she must have been waiting but once she caught a glimpse of my silver Volvo she smiled and waved. She pulled open the door and put her bag in the back, buckling in herself in as I reversed the car and made my way back onto the road.

"I'm sorry, were you waiting for long?" I asked, putting my left turn signal on.

"Not at all. Maybe like two minutes, don't worry about it." Bella smiled and leaned back into the passenger seat. "So, where are we going?"

"You'll see," I held back a laugh at the face she made.

"Last time you said that we were jumping off trampoline-lined walls. I'm not dressed for something like that, Edward."

"We're not going to Sky High today, Bella. Just be patient."

She stopped asking after that and instead I asked her about her class. She turned in the essay she had been writing all weekend and said she thinks she did really well on it. I told her about Emmett and his stupid quarter trick and she laughed, saying Charlie had caught kids doing that all the time. It never worked, apparently.

Once we got to where I wanted to be, I parked the car and made my way to the other side to open her door.

"Where are we?" she asked, looking around confused.

I left her confused as I motioned with my head for her to follow me. We were at the Washington Park Arboretum I'd gone to a lot when I needed time to myself. Trees surrounded the grassy area of the park and people were walking with dogs or jogging for exercise. Once we got to a certain area, I smiled at the couple.

"Hi Bella!" Alice waved from where she was and gave Bella a hug once we were close enough. "Tell Edward to stop hogging you. I want to hang out with you sometime, too."

I shot her a look as she stuck her tongue out at me and giggled. "Oh, and Bella, this is my boyfriend, Jasper. Jasper, this is Bella, Edward's partner for Peterson's assignment."

"Ah, Professor Peterson's marriage assignment." Jasper chuckled, his southern drawl clear in his voice. "Hello there, Bella. Pleased to meet ya."

"Nice to meet you too, Jasper."

They shook hands and Alice smiled knowingly at me. "Jasper and I are finished here, so we'll see you again sometime, okay?" She shoved a basket at me and put her hand in Jasper's, waving at us. "And Bella, we are going to have a girls day sometime soon, alright? I can see it." She tapped her head with her index finger and winked as I rolled my eyes.

"Alice is very..." Bella started after they left.

"Pushy? Over ambitious? _Annoying_?"

She laughed and swatted my arm lightly. "I was going to say friendly! She's nice and I like her."

"She likes you, too. I guess I'll have to agree to her hanging out with you because if not, I'm pretty sure I'd feel her wrath."

Bella smiled. "I suppose there'd be no harm in hanging out with her. She seems friendly enough."

"You haven't seen her at a 50 percent off sale at the mall. She's small but she can definitely kick your ass if you mess with her when it comes to shopping."

She laughed again and eyed me suspiciously as I yanked a picnic blanket out of the basket, laying it down on the grass. I patted the spot next to me as she smiled shyly and sat down. "I wasn't expecting a picnic! You're always full of surprises!"

I gave her a crooked grin and handed her a sandwich from the deli I had asked Alice to stop by. "I always come to this park whenever I want to relax. I asked Alice to help me out since she lives right around this area. It's nice, isn't it?"

"It's beautiful," she admitted, taking a bite into the sandwich.

I nodded in agreement and took a bite from mine, inhaling the fresh air. "Are you impressed?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Oh so impressed. You always sweep me off my feet!" she swooned jokingly, brushing the hair from my eyes. I always liked it better when she tended to my hair. Every time I tried to do it, it always ended up in a messier array than it was in before. Alice said I was hopeless when it came to my hair and I was beginning to agree with her. "This was a very clever idea for our first date."

I raised a brow at her and laughed. "Are you kidding me? You think _this_ is our first date?"

"You mean it's not?" she asked incredulously. Did she really think our first date would be a simple picnic at a local park?

"Of course not, you silly girl." I chuckled. "I've got something much better in mind for our first date."

She smiled excitedly. "I'm looking forward to it. You're going to have to do something pretty amazing to top the Italian dinner, Sky High, and this picnic though. I think you're setting the bar a little too high for yourself, Mr. Cullen."

"If you thought that was good, you just wait and see."

We finished our food and stayed where we were since we still had plenty of time. I asked her if it was okay if I held her for a little and she agreed, blushing slightly when she situated herself in my arms. Her back was against my chest and I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, liking the feeling of her so close to me. "This isn't pushing it, right?" I asked.

"Of course not." she shyly replied, leaning into my chest. "I like this. It's, comforting."

"I'm glad."

We stayed that way a little while longer, watching as people passed by with their dogs, strollers, and everything else imaginable. To everyone who caught a glimpse of Bella and I, it might not have seemed like much. But, it was enough for me. And it was enough for her. That's all that mattered to me.

Eventually though, I did have to get back to work, so I drove her back to school.

"So when are we having that first date?" Bella asked once I'd pulled up into the parking lot.

"Tomorrow, after Peterson's class. You're not working are you?"

She shook her head and unbuckled her seat belt. "Nope."

I smiled in relief. "Good. You'll be okay getting back yourself, right?"

"My truck may be old, but it still runs, so shut up." Bella laughed and stuck her tongue out as she grabbed her book bag from the back seat.

"Be sure to call me if you get stuck in the middle of the road, alright?"

"Thanks for caring, Edward." she joked, slamming the door. "You're so sweet, anyone ever tell you that?"

"_All _the time, Bella." I joked back as she giggled and waved goodbye.

I sighed and ran my fingers through my disheveled hair once I was back on the street towards the hospital. Tomorrow needed to come already.

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_**End of Chapter Ten**_

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**Author's Notes:** Yay for the introduction of Jasper, even if it was really short. I promise you'll be seeing him a lot more though. And more yay for Edward and Bella's first date next chapter! Oh, and to anyone that wants to know, I live in California, not Washington. I have no idea what Seattle looks like or what's around there, so I just base the places in this story off what I find on Google. Bear with me!

To everyone who wants to know more about the Cullen/Black drama, I can't tell you all just yet. It will be revealed soon enough, so please be patient :)

Guess what? **The second voting round of the SMC contest has begun!** If you liked my second entry, Mr. And Mrs. Cullen (a one-shot based along the storyline of Mr. And Mrs. Smith), please vote for it! It'd make me super duper happy!

Please review! I'd be happy to answer any questions if there are any. So until next week then! Happy early Valentine's Day everyone, I hope you enjoy it!

--_Burrberry Bugsy_


	11. More Than Words

**Author's Notes:** It's the weekend! Thank you all for the reviews and for adding it to your favorites, alerts, etc. I love you all. I don't have much to say other than that this is a really long chapter, and I've been having a bad week. I'd love it if you guys could review and tell me something happy. It can be anything! Anything that made you smile will probably make me smile too. I really need the pick-me-ups right now. Sigh.

**Special thanks to: SakuraAngel2001, addicted2vamplit, ferguy505, chibi-dorkette, ReachingAsIFall, AliceD82, luvscullenboys, Lillie Cullen, brytam, laceyndom, Michelle M. Marie, TwiDi, and whenpoetryrises! **And to _everyone else_ who reviewed! You're all wonderful! If I could find a better word, I'd definitely use it but I'll have to settle for that, I suppose.

Thank you **Delaware forever**, for always making me feel so special with your heartfelt reviews! To **mj twilighter** for making my day with just being the random, sweet girl that she is. To **RaCullen** for always giving me new feedback that never fails to make me blush. And of course, all the love in the world to my shoulder and support, **Erica** (aka **IcelandGirl812**) for being there to help my work progress in the right direction and for letting me vent to her about my personal life. I've got a story to tell you, Erica! No good news, sadly. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. :(

This chapter is dedicated to every person who reviewed, every person who added this to their favorites/alerts, and to every person who takes the time to read my chapters. I hope you all enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight, or the song "More Than Words" used in this story.

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**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Eleven**

**More Than Words**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it be to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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**Bella Swan**

The words that were coming from Professor Peterson's mouth seemed to just be going through one ear and out the other for me. My mind was heavily focused on one thing and it definitely wasn't anything he was talking about. I stole a glance at Edward and saw that he was fully composed and seemed to be giving his full attention to whatever Professor Peterson had to say. Was I the only one who was overly excited about our first date, or was he just really focused on what he was talking about?

I looked down a few rows to where Leah and Jacob sat. None of them had tried to talk to me again after Monday. I was pretty sure they had decided on officially dating since they seemed a little more comfortable with each other than they used to be. Honestly, I didn't care. Not anymore. This whole assignment opened my eyes up to a Jacob I never knew existed.

Leah surprised me as well. She had her heart broken by Sam a few years ago, so she knew how much it hurt when the one you loved wanted someone else who wasn't you. I'm not saying I was in love with Jacob, but it _did_ hurt when he did what he did. She knew how it'd make me feel once I found out and she still agreed to it anyway. I'm guessing it was probably just because she wanted to be happy, she was looking out for herself this time and no one else. She had gotten hurt in the past and wasn't going to miss out on a chance with Jacob. I guess that was understandable.

Kind of. Sort of. Doesn't change the fact that she was a total bitch for showing up at MY apartment at midnight to tell me Edward isn't half the man Jacob is.

I should've slapped her. I _wanted_ to, actually. I don't know why I didn't.

"So how about some of you tell me how you've been feeling throughout this whole experience?" Professor Peterson asked, leaning his elbows on the podium in front of him.

Someone raised their hand. "My partner takes all the hot water and I hate it! She's selfish and never shares anything!"

"Well it's my house, so I own whatever's in there! It's not my fault you still live with your parents! If you were financially stable enough to be on your own, you could have all the hot water you want!"

The two started bickering angrily as Professor Peterson tried to calm them down. "That wasn't what I meant when I asked you guys to tell me how you feel about this assignment! This is an Anthropology class not couple therapy! Resolve your issues outside of class, please!"

Edward chuckled softly next to me. "Do I hog the hot water at your place?"

I turned to him. "I think I'm more of a water hog than you are."

"Well if I do anything inside of your apartment to piss you off, you'll tell me right?"

I nodded my head and turned my attention towards Professor Peterson again since he had called on another pair of students.

"Well... Rachel and I have really been enjoying this assignment. At first we were both skeptical about it, but we've been getting along well and I even asked her to be my girlfriend last night at dinner. It's weird to feel this way about someone I never expected, but it's nice. It's really helping me learn a lot."

Professor Peterson was beaming. "Ah, now THAT'S what I like hearing! That's wonderful Mr. Hurley, Ms. Anderson. Anybody else have similar feelings towards the assignment?"

My eyes focused on the back of Leah's head when her hand shot up.

"You feel the same way, Ms. Clearwater?"

She nodded. "Jacob and I never expected this, but it's a nice turn of events. I'm really glad."

"No problems, Mr. Black?"

"No problems, Professor Peterson. I'm really enjoying myself and this experience, to be honest."

I wanted to hurl my book bag at the back of both their heads. It was just the day before yesterday when Leah came to my place because Jacob had wanted to see _me_, apparently. It annoyed me beyond belief at how often those two changed their minds. Before my temper flared up even more, I felt Edward's hand give my knee a gentle squeeze as he smiled at me reassuringly.

"Don't let it get to you, Bella. Put it in the back of your head."

I smiled back. "I know. Thanks, Edward."

"Anybody else have anything to comment on?" Professor Peterson asked.

It surprised me when Edward started speaking out loud.

"Bella and I are enjoying this assignment a lot as well." he spoke and my eyes caught Jacob and Leah turning their heads to look at him.

"Ah, yes. I think you're keeping her in check, Mr. Cullen. She's been on time ever since you two started the project together."

"She's a bit difficult in the mornings, but I wouldn't trade her for any other partner."

I felt my face become hot with embarrassment as Jacob's busted lip pouted out and his brows furrowed. He obviously wasn't too happy to hear that and I wanted to hold up a big sign that read 'I DON'T GIVE A HOOT'.

"Leah isn't too difficult in the morning. Actually, she isn't difficult at all. She gets ready fast, too. That doesn't happen often with a lot of girls." Jacob spoke without raising his hand.

Edward's brow raised as he crossed his arms and directed his voice a few rows down, "That's nice and all, Jacob, but who asked for your opinion anyway?"

Jacob turned his head to glare at Edward. "No one had to ask my opinion, I was just stating a fact."

The discussion had taken a whole new side of immaturity. I felt my insides boil as Edward tightened his grip on my knee to restrain me from stomping down there to kick my foot into Jacob's groin. He deserved nothing less.

"Mr. Cullen, Mr. Black, please settle down."

"I'm sorry, Professor Peterson." Edward apologized as he tried to calm his tone. "That was rude of me."

"Yeah, Professor. Edward's just an _arrogant prick_ who_ steals_ people's girls, don't mind him." Jacob snorted, as small gasps and oooh's came from the audience.

I was ready to rip his hair out. He was so unceasingly irritating and immature. I saw Leah whisper something to him as she gripped his shoulder and then patted small circles into his back.

"And Jacob is just an idiot_ asshole_ who cheated on his girlfriend because he didn't have enough balls to tell his father the truth about his relationship status."

"Enough!" Professor Peterson hollered, slamming his hand down on the podium in front of him. "You two, leave my class right now! I'm not going to tolerate foul language and your attitudes! If you have something to say to each other, say it and come to class next week without all the personal drama for all our sakes. Both of you, out."

Without another word, Jacob grabbed his backpack off the floor and walked out of the classroom with Leah following right behind him. Edward was gathering his things as well and I decided since roll was already taken that it'd be better if I left, too. Professor Peterson ignored us and went on with asking everyone their opinions on the assignment as we walked out of the room.

"Okay, what the hell was _that_ about?" I asked, trailing behind him as we walked down the staircase. "You're usually more composed than that, Edward. What's gotten into you?"

"Jacob, obviously." Edward replied as he ran his hand through his hair. "He pisses me off. I can't stand his audacity."

My brows furrowed as I placed a hand on Edward's arm. "Didn't we already establish that Jacob is a complete idiot? You don't have to make_ yourself_ look bad just because you're annoyed. Promise me next time you'll think before you say something like that to get yourself in trouble!"

"There won't be a next time, don't worry." he said, kissing the top of my head once we'd reached the parking lot.

I felt my cheeks go hot at the small gesture and sighed in relief since there wouldn't be anymore "Jacob is a douche" rants.

"Are you happy now, Cullen? Was that enough for you to feel good about yourself?"

Both of us stopped in our tracks at the voice that came from behind us. I guess I had spoken too soon. I felt the muscles in Edward's arm tighten as he turned his head to meet with Jacob's glare. "Did you forget that it was _you_ who started it?"

"Edward," I pleaded, not wanting their rivalry with each other to become a public event. All I wanted was to get out of there and go on our date, to just leave all thoughts of Jacob and Leah behind. I was looking forward to today for what felt like forever and I wasn't about to let my dumb ex-boyfriend ruin it for me or for Edward. "Please, let's just go."

"I'm not gonna pop him in the face again, Bells, don't worry. I'm sure he's suffered enough. I just wanna talk to him." Jacob said, smiling at me as I sighed in annoyance. He was the one with the busted lip and injured nose and yet he _still_ had enough in him to act as if _he_ was the triumphant one?

"Everything you tend to pester me about is never of significance to me, Jacob." Edward spat bitterly. I knew he was pissed at himself for letting his infuriation get the best of him.

"Aw come on, Cullen." he laughed as his arms crossed. "I just want to chat."

"I'll pass." he replied. As soon as those words left his mouth, he was walking again without bothering to give Jacob a second glance or listen to him calling out to come back.

I groaned and turned to Jacob. "What is your problem anyway, Jacob? Have you _always_ been such a hot-headed idiot these past few years?"

Jacob chuckled and came closer to me, opening his arms for a hug. "Edward's the hot-headed idiot."

My eyes narrowed and before he could encircle his arms around me, I slapped the side of his face. I didn't put any force into it, I just wanted to get my point across that I didn't want him touching me.

"You slapped me." he breathed, completely shocked.

I rolled my eyes. "I didn't _slap_ you. I simply gave your face a high five. If it was a slap, you'd feel the difference." I heard Leah spewing some kind of nonsense at me, but I didn't care. They were the last of my concerns so without saying goodbye to either of them, I chased after Edward and slowed my pace once I was side by side with him again. "If it makes you feel better, I slapped Jacob just now."

Edward's scowl disappeared as he chuckled softly. "Good."

"Don't let it get to you." I repeated his words from earlier, hoping they would work with him just as well as they did with me.

He turned to me and smiled that crooked grin I liked so much. "I'm not going to let him put me in a bad mood. Tonight is our night, not his."

The way he had said "our night" sent me on a whole new daze as I fought to keep the blush that wanted to stain my cheeks away. Did he always have to be so dazzling? Nothing else needed to be said, so I just nodded my head shyly as we walked in silence to the student parking lot.

My eyes roamed over to a beaming Yellow Porsche that was right next to Edward's silver Volvo. It was beautiful and was shining like it had just gotten waxed.

"It's nice, huh?"

I turned to Edward, my mouth wide open in shock. "Don't tell me you know the person who drives that car?"

"I know her very well, actually." he chuckled as he walked over to the driver's side of the Porsche, pulling the door open. "Thanks for agreeing to this, Alice. I owe you for all the favors you've been doing for me."

The short, spiky haired pixie came out and pulled her big sunglasses off, smiling brightly at me. "I'm not doing this for you, Edward. I'm doing it for Bella." She trotted over to me and gave me a hug as she always did whenever I saw her. How did I miss this car when we had gone to Sky High that one day? It was gorgeous to say the least and I seriously felt myself practically drooling over the sight of it.

"I told you we'd be hanging out soon! I'm so excited you decided to go shopping with me!"

Hearing that made my eyes narrow and I suddenly wanted to burn a hole into Edward's forehead. "_Shopping_?"

"I thought you'd like to find a new outfit for tonight? And who better to ask than the shopping guru herself, Alice Cullen?" Edward explained innocently, holding his hands up in defense. "Plus, she's been bugging me like crazy. She's been wanting to hang out with you."

"It's not my fault I like making friends." Alice argued.

"You mean being psycho?" Edward corrected, laughing when she launched her small fist at his arm. "You should have seen her when she first met Rosalie. She almost scared her off entirely with her crazy behavior."

"Rosalie was just... surprised at my enthusiasm. We're good friends now!" she hissed at him.

"You could have very well been the reason why Emmett and Rosalie split back then." he laughed and flicked her forehead with his finger.

She huffed and crossed her arms. "If you're done teasing me, I'd like to get going. You didn't really give me too much of a heads up and now I'm going to have to rush in order to get her back to you in time."

"I have faith in you, Alice," Edward cooed jokingly, taking the strap of my book bag off my shoulder. Before he took it away I managed to grab my wallet and shoved it into the front pocket of my jacket. "Have fun, Bella, I'll see you in a few hours."

I couldn't protest even if I wanted to. Without even getting a word out, Alice shoved me into her beautiful Porsche and skipped around to the driver's side. I could see Edward wave to me outside before he hopped into his own car as we drove off in different directions.

"So, Bella," Alice started with a perky smile on her face. "You and Edward, huh? How's that going?"

I blushed a little at the simple question. I honestly really didn't know to answer that. Edward and I weren't an official couple, but we didn't seem to be "just friends" either. I couldn't say I didn't have any feelings for him because I knew I did and he obviously felt the same way. "We're... well, I don't know. It's hard to explain."

"Don't feel awkward around me, okay? I know it must be weird since we don't know each other at all, but I promise I don't bite and I'm very friendly." she flashed her pearly whites at me and it was as if she had some kind of hypnotic spell behind it. You couldn't _not_ like Alice.

It didn't take her long to squeeze out every bit of information about Edward and I she could get. Once I got started, I just couldn't seem to shut up. It wasn't like she minded though. She actually seemed to really enjoy hearing about the side of Edward she hadn't known existed.

My cheery mood seemed to dissipate as soon as I stepped foot inside one of the stores. Alice immediately went to the racks and began picking things out before I even had a chance to blink. She knew she was short on time and had a job to do - and quick.

"Alice," I started once I finally reached her. "do you know what Edward has planned for tonight?"

She smiled at me. "Of course I know. How would I be able to coordinate an outfit for you without knowing what you two were doing?"

"Can you tell me then?" I asked excitedly. The suspense was killing me! I knew Edward had to have had something incredible up his sleeve but after all the places we'd been, I couldn't think of anything that could top it.

Alice continued to look through the racks and didn't look up at me. "It's a secret."

She left no room for an argument and dragged me to the fitting room. With her small hands, she shoved the piles of clothes at me and pulled the curtain closed. I didn't have any kind of choice so I grudgingly took off the clothes I had on to replace them with the ones she had chosen. "Is it something good at least?" I asked as I pulled the pair of jeans on.

"Of course! It's very... _Edward_." she giggled. "Well, I wouldn't have known it was something Edward was capable of before you told me about how he's been with you. He's more romantic with you than he ever was with Tanya."

Tanya? I had never heard anything before about a woman named Tanya. "Who's that?"

"Oh. Edward never mentioned it to you?" she questioned, slightly baffled. "She was kind of like.. his unofficial girlfriend, you could say."

I thought about that for a minute as I pulled the grey turtle neck down. "He's never said anything about her."

Alice hummed in thought. "I guess he wouldn't. Don't worry about it, she wasn't really his girlfriend. In fact, he actually was really turned off because she kept pushing him to be in a relationship with her. Edward works with Tanya's sister. That's how she met him."

"I see," I mused quietly, smoothing out the wrinkles of the turtle neck sweater. I grabbed the black jacket she had picked out off the hanger before speaking again, "How long were they dating?"

"I think maybe a month or two. He didn't talk about her much. It was more of Emmett always telling me all about it. But Edward seems to try harder with you, and you guys have only been in this whole marriage thing for a little more than a week right? I'm more than sure he has pretty strong feelings for you, Bella."

My heart skipped a beat at her words as I wrapped the white scarf around my neck and sighed softly. I kept forgetting it had only been a little more than a week. It felt like so much longer. It made me wonder if I was rushing into dating him too soon. Jacob and I had broken up recently and as much as I was already over it, I couldn't help but wonder what all my other friends must have thought about me.

Before I knew it, Alice had the curtain open and smiled approvingly. "I'm a _genius_. It's simple and it still looks good! Edward's going to love me more than he already does."

I laughed and turned around in a circle so she could get a better view of her outfit choice. "Will you please tell me? I'm _dying_ to know!"

"No can do, Bella. Sorry." she laughed and shoved me back behind the curtain to change back into my clothes.

I gave up on trying to figure it out and just went along with what Alice had planned. She ended up paying for the outfit for me no matter how much I told her I could do it myself. Since I didn't have shoes that would go along with the outfit, she helped me find some suitable ones that I paid for before she could pull her credit card out. I was glad I grabbed my wallet before Edward took my bag away because if not, Alice would have paid for the stylish black boots, too. I didn't even know her that well and she had handed over almost two hundred dollars like nothing for an outfit I might not have even wore again. How much money did she make working at Sky High anyway? I made a mental note in my head to ask her before our time together was over.

After we left the mall, we pulled up to a small townhouse in the area of that park Edward had taken me to the day before. Alice's eyes seemed to light up as she pulled into the driveway of the quaint-looking home. Someone was inside of the garage, clad in motorcycle gear. Once she had her Porsche parked, she opened the door and squealed, "Jasper!"

As I got out of the car, I saw her petite form rush towards her boyfriend's welcome arms. They were so unbelievably cute together and I felt like I was intruding on something special.

"How am I supposed to give you a kiss with this hunk of material on your head?" she giggled, pulling the helmet off his head so their lips could finally meet. "Don't tell me you're leaving?"

"Only for a bit, darlin'. I just need to go pick up my paycheck and then I'll bring us some food for dinner. You craving anything in particular?"

Alice shook her head and ran her small hands up and down his geared chest. "Surprise me."

"Will do," he replied, kissing the tip of her nose. "Oh, Bella! I didn't even see you there!" Jasper chuckled, waving to me from the garage. "Are you staying for dinner also? I can always order more."

"No need for that. She's just here so I can doll her up since Edward's taking Bella on their first date tonight." Alice teased as my face turned red. They both laughed at the color of my cheeks and I couldn't help but join them. I didn't know why I was still acted so shy whenever it was brought up.

"Well that sounds like fun. I hope you two have a wonderful time tonight," Jasper said with a smile. He was such a gentleman. He reminded me of those cowboys in old Western films that would always greet women politely with a tip of their hat.

My thoughts were interrupted by his loud chuckling that Alice seemed to be the cause of. She was tip-toeing atop his actual feet while attacking his neck playfully. "Alice, quit it! I've got to get going!" Jasper yanked her off his neck and lifted her off his feet, giving her one last kiss. "I said only for a bit. I'll be back before you know it." Before she could attack his lips again, he shoved the helmet down on his head, "HAH! Beat you!"

She huffed playfully as he hopped up on top of the black Ducati 1098 and revved the bike to life. "Love you, Jasper."

"Love you, too!" he replied. I could barely make it out over the sound of his motorcycle. Once he had waved to us both, he drove down the driveway and down the street until he was out of sight.

"Want me to let you in on a secret, Bella?" Alice asked with a smile as she pulled me inside the house.

"Sure." I answered, my eyes wandering all throughout the beautiful interior of her home.

"Jasper and I have been together for a while now, can you tell?"

I nodded. "Seems like it."

"Yes, 3 years and counting." she beamed, sitting me down on the sofa in her living room. "Do you think the both of us are happy?"

I raised a brow and wondered why she was asking questions with such obvious answers. My eyes followed her as she disappeared into the bathroom for a quick second and came back out with what looked to be a cosmetics bag. "I'm pretty sure the two of you are very happy with each other."

Alice smiled at my answer and unzipped the bag, pulling out some foreign looking objects which I was sure was make up. "I know you heard me say it earlier, but do you think him and I are in love?"

I opened my eyes, immediately getting smacked on the arm. I forgot she was working her magic and had probably messed her up. With a sigh, I closed them again. "Yes, Alice. Anyone with eyes could see that you two are in love. It practically radiates off your guys' bodies."

"Yeah? Well, it started with Professor Peterson's assignment." I opened my eyes again in shock and Alice literally screamed. "BELLA! Look what you've done!" She walked into the bathroom again and I took the mirror inside her bag to look at what happened. There was a black line going up the middle of my eyelid and something smeared underneath so I looked like a raccoon. I couldn't help but laugh as she huffed and wiped it all off with makeup remover to start over.

"Wait, really? You two have had Peterson's class before?" I asked, keeping my eyes glued shut this time.

"Yeah. I took the class during my first semester. I thought the idea was absolutely insane at first. When I found out my partner was Jasper Whitlock of all people, I was kind of happy because I always thought he was super hot." she giggled and started working on my other eye. "I was 18 at the time and he was 20. I was one of the youngest ones in the class since everyone doesn't usually take it until after they've gotten used to college. But I figured, hey why not? The sooner, the better, right?"

"So you and him together... That all started with the assignment?" I asked, still shocked.

"Yup. After the assignment was over, we turned in our essays, and he walked me to my car. He said he was really going to miss having me around and that he was really glad to have me as a partner. It made me really sad, so I gave him a hug and told him to keep in contact with me. I told him I wanted us to stay close and before I could realize what was going on, he was kissing me!" she sighed dreamily and I laughed softly. "Jasper said he didn't care that the assignment was over and that he wanted us to stay the way we were. So, he asked me to be his girlfriend and since then, we've been inseparable. Crazy, huh?"

I nodded slowly. "Why did you decide to tell me that all of a sudden?"

She giggled and said I could open my eyes. "Oh, no reason. I just thought I should tell you. Sometimes, I like to think Professor Peterson's secondary job is being a matchmaker. He always seems to pair the right people up together."

My cheeks went hot at her words as she laughed and helped me up. "But, that's just my opinion, Bella. Now let's get your hair fixed and dress you up so you can get to that date already!"

* * *

After another half an hour, Alice was finally done. She had thinly lined the tops and bottoms of my lids with eyeliner, put a bit of mascara, a touch of eye shadow and a hint of blush. She said I didn't need much at all, which was a good thing. She left my hair the way it was, just brushed it and put a tiny spritz of hairspray to keep my natural waves intact. I changed into the grey turtle neck and pulled the jeans on as quickly as I could since she said we had to hurry. I slipped into the coat, tugged the boots onto my feet, and threw the scarf around my neck as I jumped into her yellow Porsche. Alice sped down the streets and I was surprised there weren't any policeman hightailing it after us. After what seemed to be like an eternity of speeding, her car came to a halt in another area I was unfamiliar with.

"Well, Bella, this is where we part. I had a lot of fun today and I hope you did, too." Alice waved as I got out of the passenger seat. "Let's hang out again sometime, okay? I miss having girl time with other girls."

I laughed and shut the door, leaning down as she pushed on the button to let the automatic window roll down. "I'd like it if we could hang out again, Alice. I had a great time."

She smiled brightly. "Tell Edward I say hi, alright?"

I nodded and as I turned away, I remembered something I had to ask her. "Wait Alice!"

She stopped rolling the window up and stared at me curiously. "Yeah?"

I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. I wasn't too sure if it was too much to ask since it might've been personal. "Well... I was just wondering... Your house is really nice. And so is your car. Do you really make that much at Sky High? Because if you do, I wanted to know if..."

Her tinkling laugh caught me off guard as I looked at her strangely. "What?"

"Oh, Bella. Silly Bella." she mused. "Sky High is pocket money. I don't make much there at all. It's just that I adore kids and I love that place. I'm a personal shopper, so I tend to have a lot of time on my hands when I'm not buying outfits for people."

It now made sense as to why Edward decided on giving Alice permission to get me a new outfit. It was her job. "So you're a personal shopper, an employee at Sky High, AND you go to school?"

"All in a day's work!" she piped, starting her car up again. "Oh, and this pretty baby? It was a graduation present."

With all my questions answered, she rolled the window up and sped off in the same direction she had came in. I really did like her a lot. It made me happy to bond with her since she was close with Edward. If I had any siblings, it'd definitely be a plus if he got along with them. I was hoping that would earn me some bonus points.

"Hello, stranger."

I turned around and sighed in relief, glad to see that it was only Edward. "You scared me half to death!"

He chuckled softly and handed me a single red rose. "You look beautiful."

I couldn't fight the butterflies or the smile that crept onto my face when he said that as I held the flower up to my nose to get a whiff. "Thank you. You look pretty good, yourself." He was wearing a coat similar to the one Alice had bought me earlier, but his was a little longer and all black. Underneath his jacket was a white and charcoal grey patterned long-sleeve that seemed to fit him perfectly, and he was wearing jeans as well. I was honestly a little glad our date might have been more on the casual side.

Edward grinned. "Shall we?" He offered his arm and I gladly put mine through, leaning my head on his shoulder slightly as we began walking straight ahead.

"So, what do you have planned for tonight?" I asked. The sun had set about an hour ago and the dark evening sky was all around us. Stars were twinkling millions of miles away and even though it was a bit chilly, I loved it.

"This is the first part of our date." he spoke, pulling a pair of black gloves out of his front pocket. They reminded me of the ones you'd wear when you played in the snow.

I arched a brow at him as he handed them to me. "Why would we need these for our date?"

He smiled and pointed behind him. My jaw dropped at the beautiful outdoor ice skating rink a few feet away. The ice looked so clean and everyone skating atop it looked like they were having a blast. Some of the windows of the buildings surrounding the rink were lit, illuminating the perimeter. A giant arch was in the middle of the ice, which was the main source of light as everyone skated underneath it. I didn't even know such a rink existed!

Reality sank in as I sighed heavily, turning back to Edward. "It's absolutely gorgeous, believe me, but I don't think this is a good idea. Don't you have something else a little safer up your sleeve? I'm an accident magnet."

Edward chuckled and pulled me to the entrance of the rink. "You said that when we went to Sky High, too."

"So?"

"So," Edward paid for both of us and pulled me toward the skate rental. "You didn't get hurt last time. I told you I wouldn't let you get hurt." He said something to the man behind the window as he pulled one of his shoes off and turned to me, "Bella, your shoe size?"

I blinked at him as I followed what he did and took off my left boot, "6 1/2."

He repeated it to the man and exchanged our shoes for ice skates. I cringed at the sight of the blade on the bottom of the shoe as he sat me down. "Edward, I haven't ice skated in years."

"You need to relax, Bella. Would I really take you to such a place if I had any kind of thought that you'd leave in an ambulance strapped to a gurney? You'll be fine."

I sighed in defeat as he handed me the skates to put on. I laced them up and turned to him once I was finished. "If I die, I want a pink coffin. And colorful flowers."

Edward laughed loudly at that, raising a brow at me curiously. "A _pink_ coffin? Really? Do they even sell those?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. But everyone would remember me as the girl with the pink coffin and not as the clumsy idiot who died while ice skating."

"You are unbelievable sometimes, do you know that?" he joked, pulling me to my feet. I wobbled slightly once I got up, not at all used to the feeling of being about half an inch taller while balancing my weight on the thin blade beneath the skate. "You'll be fine. I won't let you fall, alright?"

My eyes narrowed at him as we walked over to short wall that separated the ground from the ice. "Coffins are expensive. I'm telling you right now, I will haunt you in your sleep and pants you at work if you don't get me a pink one."

He laughed again and stepped onto the ice, looking as graceful as ever as he stood perfectly balanced atop the frozen water. "Alright, alright! I'll buy you a pink coffin if you die, you silly girl. Now, come here."

I stayed right where I was, holding onto the sides for dear life. "Do you have a first aid kit in your car?"

"Bella!" he groaned, skating towards me. "Please, just _try_. I don't want our date to be you watching me skate from the sidelines the whole time. Would you just trust me?"

I couldn't help but feel defeated at his puppy dog eyes and his pouted lips. I knew I was going to end up bruised and bloody but if it would make him happy, I guess it was worth it. I took a deep breath and moved my right foot onto the ice, followed by my left. I hadn't even been on the ice for five seconds and already I lost my balance. I could've sworn I was going to fall straight on my butt, but Edward skated to me and caught me in his arms before I could hit the ice.

He chuckled heartily and straightened my posture as I grabbed the sides to balance myself. "Bella, you're too tense. You need to ease up and just have fun."

"Easy for you to say. Balance isn't a problem for you. Sometimes I think I inherited some kind of jellyfish gene. My legs don't deserve to be called legs." I inched down the ice with the help of the wall. Kids younger than half my age raced past me like pros as I groaned in frustration. "Look at that! Eight year olds are passing me up, that's horrible!"

Edward rolled his eyes and grabbed each one of my hands, holding them tightly as he pulled me away from the wall. "Here, I'll help you out. But you can't be so stiff."

I was glad the ice rink was so cold otherwise he would've known I was blushing again. He was skating backwards better than I could skate forward! It wasn't fair. I looked down at my feet and he held my hands tighter. "Please, just try to relax. Tonight is supposed to be a night to enjoy, remember?"

I bit my lip and sighed with a slight nod, moving my feet the way I remembered moving them years ago. It felt like I might have been getting the hang of it by the time we got to the center of the rink, right underneath the huge lit up arch. My hands were still in his as he smiled and lifted one of them above my head to spin me slowly. I squeaked quietly as my body made a full 360 and I could've sworn I'd open my eyes to being sprawled across the ice.

He gave me a crooked grin. "I told you. You're doing fine."

I smiled back and released his hand, skating on my own in a circle around him. I didn't look nearly as graceful as he did but I was doing it on my own which was good enough for me. "I think I can do it on my own now."

"You sure about that, Ms. Accident Magnet?" he joked, running a gloved hand through his hair. "I don't want you to hurt yourself and blow a huge chunk of my savings away for your coffin, you know. I'd much rather prefer you alive and well."

I finally loosened up and skated freely with him. It was easier than I thought, it just took some getting used to. Skating around the rink was more fun that I had ever imagined it could be. I thought it was beautiful from a distance, but it was so much better up close. The lights from the surrounding buildings and from the arch above us made us look like we were glowing.

It wasn't until three kids came zooming past us that I had lost my balance again. I had to push all my weight onto one side so I could avoid them crashing into me. Edward didn't see that, so I bumped into him slightly on accident as the kid dove underneath his legs to slide on his belly. Completely taken aback by the action, Edward slipped and fell right onto his back. His leg kicked mine as I tumbled down atop him.

People didn't seem to care that we had just fallen like idiots since it probably happened all the time. I looked down at him, his green eyes shining brilliantly. I grinned and began laughing, pounding his chest with my fist lightly at how funny I thought it was.

He didn't last much longer and he, too, began laughing with me. "Bella, please get up. My butt is cold. We're on ice, you know."

My eyes felt like they were tearing from laughing so hard and I suddenly felt a twinge of guilt since the makeup Alice had worked so hard on was probably ruined. I pushed myself off of Edward and stood up, offering a hand to him. He took it willingly and dusted the ice that had gathered on my elbows. I couldn't help but giggle again as I did him the same favor and brushed the ice off his back.

"Well, that wasn't supposed to happen." Edward groaned with a chuckle. "I was trying to impress you and I end up falling on my ass. That's just great."

"Did it hurt?" I asked, watching as he messed up his hair even more. I made a note in my head to tell him he could probably go bald from doing that so much.

"No, I'm fine. It's my ego. I'm kind of embarrassed." he shook his head and smiled, grabbing my hand in his. "Maybe we should just stick to skating like this, if you don't mind."

I didn't mind at all, actually. I smiled to reassure him I was fine with it and from then until the rink closed, we skated hand in hand underneath the starlit sky. Surprisingly like he assumed, we never fell another time that night.

We skated until our time was up and went to one of the most popular Japanese restaurants in Seattle called Mashiko. The restaurant was casual with red walls, colored lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and a sushi chef at the bar, crowded with people of all ages. Thankfully, Edward had made reservations and we even got to sit in a booth where it wasn't so crowded.

"They've got the best sushi in town," Edward promised, putting his menu down. "I've ordered us the course meal, so don't worry about choosing something."

I put my menu down as well. "A course meal for each of us?"

He stared at me, baffled. "Are you _joking_? If someone could eat the course meal on their own, I applaud them. It's five different courses, meant for two people to share."

My mouth made an "o" shape as I shrugged out of my coat and put it to the side. "Sounds expensive."

"It is, but it's well worth it, trust me." he grinned. "Everything we get is the chef's choice, not ours. But every time I've come here, I've never been disappointed."

The waitress came and placed two beautifully decorated small cups in front of us as I stared at Edward quizzically. "And this is?"

He smiled and picked it up. "For ten bucks more, each person in the party gets a sake shot. I couldn't resist."

I picked up my cup as well, wondering how it tasted. I'd never tried sake before or seen a shot glass that was so pretty. We toasted to each other and downed the shot. It was chilled and went down smooth. Surprisingly, I actually liked it. "That just made me hungrier."

"Trust me, you'll need to unbutton your pants by the time we leave here." he chuckled, running his fingers through his bronze hair.

I wasn't sure if Edward was just exaggerating. I honestly loved sushi and couldn't wait to attack the five-course meal awaiting us.

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"Oh. My. _God_." I groaned, stepping out of his Volvo when we finally reached his apartment complex. He said he needed to pick some stuff up and then we'd go back to my place after. "I'm so full."

"I told you." Edward laughed, helping me up the stairs to his apartment. "You liked it though, right?"

"_Loved_ it," I corrected him. "I'm going to go back sometime soon."

The meal was, without a doubt, the best Japanese food I'd ever had. Our first two courses were appetizers of the chef's choice, which was grilled salmon salad and vegetable tempura. The course after that was a spicy crab nigiri roll with spicy mayo on top. It was delicious and I seriously couldn't believe it when Edward told me we still had more to come. The main entrée was as beautiful as it was tasty and was twelve pieces of assorted sushi. I was done by that time, but they took away our plate and replaced it with a dessert plate. It was something I'd never seen or heard of before, a slice of green tea tiramisu. It didn't disappoint me at all when I took the first bite. It was heaven in dessert form. It was light, creamy, and not too sweet. I wanted to take pictures of the edible art we called dinner, but I didn't have a camera. Edward paid, tipped well, said thank you to the chefs, and we were on our way back home about two hours later.

"I'm going to lie down and try to breathe." I mumbled once we got to the door, leaning against the frame. I felt like I had gained ten pounds in one sitting.

"After you," he said once he got the door open. I mumbled my thanks and stumbled in, immediately stopping as I looked around at the drastically different surroundings of Edward's living room. Red, pink, white, and yellow rose petals were scattered all about his floor with tea light candles lining the perimeter and soft music echoing throughout the room. My mouth dropped open as I stood where I was in shock. How did he manage to find the time to do all this?

He walked past me to the table and grabbed a plate with chocolate covered strawberries, "I hope you're not too full to pass some of these up?"

I blinked repeatedly and felt tears welling up in my eyes, shaking my head.

"Oh, crap. This is too much, isn't it? I'm sorry, Bella. I just wanted our first date to be special. I know this is pushing it a bit--"

I placed my hand over his mouth and sniffled quietly, smiling up at him. "I love it. I'm only getting emotional because I never would have expected something so... extravagant. I'm not used to this. I thought it only happened in movies."

Edward chuckled and wiped under my eyes carefully to avoid smearing my makeup. "You can thank Alice and Jasper. This is their doing, I only came up with the idea."

I laughed in realization as I looked around the room. "So, that's why you had to make an important call so suddenly during dinner!"

He nodded and held the plate of chocolate covered strawberries out to me, "Would you like one?"

I looked down at the delicious looking pieces of fruit and grabbed one, holding it in front of his mouth. "Only if you have one first."

That signature crooked grin was there again as he put the plate aside and held one out to me. "How about we have one at the same time?"

I couldn't help but blush as he bit into the strawberry I was holding. I knew very well he wasn't _trying_ to look as sexy as he did, it was just natural for him. It wasn't fair. The strawberries were fresh and the chocolate used was so decadent that I couldn't help but eat more than one even though I was already beyond being full.

We finished most of them and I watched as Edward put the rest in the fridge to give to Alice and Jasper as a thank you.

"Edward," I called out from the sofa, smiling at him as he sat down next to me. "Thank you so much. For the ice skating, for the dinner. For this. It's all too much."

"I told you it'd be good." he chuckled, brushing the hair away from my face.

I nodded in agreement. "The best date I've ever been on."

"I'm glad."

"Well everyone, we're gonna be taking it back a couple of years. This song is an oldie, but definitely a classic. If you remember it, grab a loved one and sing along, why don't you? Your hour of uninterrupted music begins now. I'm Pam and this is KRTP 103.7, enjoy!" the voice over the stereo called as a song began playing.

_Saying I love you is not the words I want to hear from you.  
It's not that I want you not to say, but if you only knew  
How easy it would be to show me how you feel,  
More than words is all you have to do to make it real.  
Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me,  
cause I'd already know._

A smile crept onto Edward's face as he stood up and held his hand out, "Dance with me?"

I stared up at him, wondering if he was serious. "Really? Right now?"

"Why not?"

My lips curved into a smile as well. I took his offered hand and stood up, placing one of my hands on his shoulder as he wrapped his other around my waist. "You're quite the romantic, Mr. Cullen."

He grinned and pulled me closer, swaying our bodies to the gentle and slow beat of the song.

_What would you do if my heart was torn in two?  
More than words to show you feel, that your love for me is real  
What would you say if I took those words away?  
Then you couldn't make things new just by saying I love you  
More than words  
Now that I've tried to talk to you and make you understand,  
All you have to do is close your eyes and just reach out your hands and touch me  
Hold me close, don't ever let me go.._

I felt my heart thudding in my chest as he pulled my chin up to meet his gaze. He didn't need to ask my permission this time. I tip toed and closed my eyes as our lips met in a gentle kiss. He released my hand and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me even closer so our bodies were molded against one another.

My hands traveled up to the messy array of his hair, running my fingers through its silky softness as he parted my lips with his. I sighed softly into his mouth, glad to know that there was no way this kiss was going to get interrupted. I felt a whole new surge of electricity run through me at the caress of his tongue against my lower lip. Shakily, I granted him access and met him halfway, feeling his grip around my waist tighten. I shuddered softly at the feeling of his tongue finally touching mine, noticing that his mouth tasted like the chocolate and the strawberries we had just eaten. Edward's hands ran slowly up and down my back, his lips suddenly becoming more urgent and passionate against mine.

I was slightly surprised when my back hit something flat, not even noticing that Edward's hands were now pressed up against the wall behind me. I sighed again and took his lower lip into my mouth, suckling gently and that was when he pulled away. Part of me was actually glad we stopped since we weren't together... officially.

Our breathing was ragged and I hadn't even noticed the song ended when his eyes locked on mine. "Best kiss, _ever_."

I couldn't help but laugh at his selection of words, feeling my face get hot with how close we both still were. "I agree."

Edward smiled and kissed me again softly, brushing the hair from my face. "It was the perfect way to end our date, in my opinion. Now, get some rest because you have class in the morning."

I nodded and figured we weren't going to be heading back to my house. I still had clothes inside Edward's room so I didn't mind too much. The room was dark when I walked inside, so I flipped on the light switch and changed into my tank top and pajama pants I found from a few nights ago lying on the floor. Once I was changed, I brushed my teeth and washed the makeup on my face off. Quietly, I crept back into the living room and saw Edward blowing each and every one of the tea light candles out. I smiled and spoke, "So, why the multicolored petals?"

He turned towards the sound of my voice and chuckled softly. "The colors have different meanings. You didn't know that? Red means beauty and perfection. Pink symbolizes admiration. Yellow is for joy and friendship, and white symbolizes new beginnings. All of which I think were perfect for tonight."

I smiled and felt the butterflies swimming around in my stomach again as I bent down to pick up one of each color. I wanted to remember just how wonderful he had made our first date. "I'm going to keep some of these."

"Good luck keeping them like that. They're going to turn brown soon." Edward laughed, finally finished with blowing out the candles. "Go get some rest now, Bella."

I nodded and blew him a kiss, smiling when he caught it and put it in his pocket. It had become something I got used to doing after seeing Esme. It was a simple, yet meaningful gesture that had grown on me and I found myself doing it each and every time Edward and I had to say goodbye to each other. "Thank you again for tonight."

"It was my pleasure." he replied.

I walked back into his room and shut the door, putting the petals on the night stand by his bed. I pulled the covers off and before I got in, I thought of something that not only brought a blush but a smile onto my face as well. I walked back into the living room and saw him lying on the couch in black flannel pants only. I felt another blush stain my cheeks when I realized he wasn't wearing a shirt. "Edward?"

His face lifted off the couch as he stared at me curiously. "Something wrong?"

I shook my head. "No, nothing's wrong." I hesitated with the words and had to make sure it came out right. "I don't want to sound forward or anything... but would you like to sleep, with me... tonight?"

He stared at me and I stared back, immediately regretting the way I said it. "I meant! Just in the same bed. You know, because it's your apartment and..."

Before I could finish my sentence, he walked past me and straight into his bed, sighing in relief. It finally hit me that he hadn't slept in a bed in almost two weeks.

"Come here," he said softly, opening his arms to me.

I closed the door behind me and walked over to the bed to lie next to him, shocked when he wrapped his arms around my shoulders to pull me close to his bare chest.

"If you want me to put a shirt on, just say so."

I laughed quietly and snuggled into the warmth of his body, wrapping my arms loosely around his waist. "No, it's fine. It's your house and your bed, so you're free to do whatever the hell you want."

He leaned down and gave me a soft, goodnight kiss, humming some sort of a lullaby in my ear so I could fall asleep faster.

That night, I dreamt of having another date just as wonderful and realized just how much I wanted to be more than Edward's friend, how much I didn't care anymore about Jacob hurting me, and how much I really, _really_ wanted to be Edward's official girlfriend.

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_**End of Chapter Eleven**_

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**Author's Notes:** So this, is OFFICIALLY the longest chapter to date of _**Hello, Stranger**_. Yay! Did you guys like it? I hope it was romantic enough. There are pictures of Edward and Bella's outfits, Jasper's bike, the skating rink, and more on my profile page! I'm going to start adding pictures so you guys can get a better concept of what I'm trying to portray :) Oh, and please check out the new banner I made for this story! It's on my profile as well!

By the way, the sushi place I described is an actual sushi place in Seattle, WA! You should go check out their website, it looks fantastic! www(dot)sushiwhore(dot)com, and seriously that's the name of the site. HAHAHA! The ice skating rink though, does not exist. Not in Seattle at least. Like I've mentioned before, I live in California and not in Washington so please don't get mad if I get something wrong.

I should just get Bella and Edward together already, huh? Teehee, don't fret! It's coming up soon enough!

Sorry if I didn't reply to some of your guys' reviews this time around, I'm super swamped with school right now. I'd love to hear from all of you though, so please make me happy and review? Until next time then!

--_Burrberry Bugsy_


	12. Fall For You

**Author's Notes: **Hi, everyone! I'm sorry this took long to get out. I was actually going to post this up much sooner but FF has been screwy with me lately. Not only that, but I couldn't reply to any of the reviews this time so I hope you can all forgive me. Before I forget, THANK YOU FOR 500 REVIEWS! I love you all! Oh and guess what else?

**_Hello, Stranger_ has been nominated for Best W.I.P. (Work In Progress) and Best Alternate Universe in The Lion and Lamb Awards!** Thank you so much to whoever nominated it! If you'll tell me who you are, I'll be sure to make you one kick-ass thank you banner as my appreciation! You're awesome!

Also! It's my birthday on Tuesday March 3rd! I'll be turning 19, which isn't anything really to celebrate, but it's the one time of year I get to feel a teensy bit special, right? Yay! I'll try and get the next chapter out by then, as my gift to you all. Haha!

**Special thanks to:** **Claiborne, jro jro jro, TCullen80, MissBellaIII, b-ray24824, Shanda, kendall515, TwiDi, ladysigny, jaimelotr4ever, and Lillie Cullen. **As always, thanks so much to **RaCullen** for always writing some of the best feedback I've ever gotten, **Delaware forever **for a detailed and happy review that got me in a better mood, and **mj twilighter** for making me, once again, fall over in laughter for being such a sweetheart. Love, love, and more love to you all! Hm. You know, sometimes I get complaints on how much I ramble on and on about my reviewers, but my readers and reviewers are honestly the reason why I keep on writing. All of you are the most important to me, so the least I can do is acknowledge my thanks, right? If you don't like it, you can always scroll down right to the story... But thank you so much to those who helped me feel better after my crap week. You're all wonderful. -Hugs-

Last but most certainly not least, **IcelandGirl812**. Don't think I forgot about you, Erica :) All the thanks in the world to you for not only being a great author and pushing me through my updates, but for being such a wonderful friend when I need it the most. You're the best, love ya!

**Disclaimer:** My name isn't Stephenie Meyer so I don't own Twilight, sadly.

* * *

**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Twelve**

**Fall For You**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it be to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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**Edward Cullen**

I didn't want to wake up. The dream I'd been having was one I could really get used to. It wasn't until I felt the gentle shifting beside me and the warmth against my own body that my eyes slowly fluttered open. To my own surprise, I realized I _hadn't_ been dreaming. She was still in my arms, still looking as stunningly gorgeous as she had a few hours ago on our date. I turned on my side and glanced at the alarm clock and saw that it was fifteen minutes until 8. Bella had a class at 9:15 and I knew if I didn't get her up soon, she'd never wake up. As quietly as I could, I squirmed out of the bed and thankfully she didn't stir. I walked into the bathroom and took a quick shower to freshen myself up.

Once I was scrubbed, brushed, and clean, I made my way into the living room and noticed the multi-colored rose petals still scattered about the floor, making a mental note to be sure to pick them all up later since I wasn't called in for work. My refrigerator was also in desperate need of a restock. It seemed like all I'd be doing today would be running errands while Bella was in class. With what I could get my hands on, I was able to whip up a batch of banana pancakes. It wasn't much but I hoped it would satisfy her stomach for breakfast. I poured orange juice into a cup and slowly walked back into the room with the food in my hands, setting it down on the night stand beside my bed.

"Bella," I whispered, lowering my face down to bury my nose in her hair. "it's time to get up."

"Five more minutes." she groaned and pulled the covers over her face as I chuckled softly.

"You have class in less than an hour. Don't you want to get ready?"

"I don't wanna go." Bella muttered, burying herself deeper underneath the sheets.

Even though I knew she'd chew me out for doing so, I pulled the covers off of her body and she shivered at the loss of her source of warmth. "Edward!" With her eyes still closed, she yanked at the blanket as we started our tug of war. "It's cold!"

Since I was the stronger one and since I knew she would just go back to sleep if I let her win, I tugged again and tossed the blanket to the side and grinned at her pouted lips.

"I made you breakfast." I offered as innocently as I could, holding the plate of banana pancakes in front of her.

Bella crossed her arms and stared down at the food, sighing in defeat once I handed her a fork. "You better watch yourself, Edward Cullen. One of these days, you are going to pay for getting me out of bed so early all the time." She cut a chunk of the pancake and I knew I was off the hook once she had gotten a taste.

"Good?" I asked with a smirk on my face.

Her eyes narrowed at me as she continued to pop bite after bite into her mouth. "You can't use your cooking skills to get you out of trouble." She swallowed it down and took the glass of orange juice I handed to her. "But, if you must know, yes. It's very good."

I smiled. "I'm glad." It surprised me when I saw her holding the fork in front of my mouth, eager for me to try even though I already knew very well how good they tasted. It was a special recipe of Esme's that I had asked her for over and over. She finally decided to give it to me once I moved out and I couldn't be more grateful. There was nothing better than her special banana pancakes as a way to start off the day. I shook my head, "They're for you, Bella."

"Your loss," she sighed and continued to eat. "Did you want me to move to the kitchen?"

"That would defeat the whole purpose of breakfast in _bed_." I replied while walking over to the shower to fiddle with the knobs to let the water run.

She looked at me curiously from her position on the bed as she chewed on a slice of banana. "Are you planning on showering again?"

"I'm getting the hot water ready for you, Bella. Did you forget about your class at 9?"

Bella groaned and put her breakfast aside. "Do I really have to go? Can't I just stay here with you? It's one of your only days off."

I smiled at her and made my way back over to the bed, hovering a few inches away from her now reddened face. "Are you saying you'd rather stay here and cuddle with me than go to class?"

She huffed slightly, backing away from my face. "No! No. I'm just saying... You don't get very many days off, and well, it'd be nice if we could... hang out together? We don't have to stay here. We could... go see a movie or something, I don't know. You're good at arranging these types of things."

I couldn't help the wave of happiness that washed over me at her suggestion. Things were really seeming to head in a good direction for her and I. Playfully, I pushed her down and crushed my body on top of hers, being careful not to use all my weight as I buried my face into her shoulder held her tightly.

"Edward! You're going to suffocate me," she giggled underneath me and kicked her legs to try and get me off of her. I knew my hair was still damp so I nuzzled it into her neck earning little squeaks from her. "Your hair! It's still wet, get off!"

"You're the one who said you wanted to stay here with me, so stay here with me you shall." I laughed once I felt her small fists pounding at my shoulders.

"Edward!" she cried playfully, groaning once she couldn't shove me off. "The water is still running! You're going to flood the bathroom!"

"There's a drain, and it's not clogged." I muttered against her shoulder, kissing it gently. "You said yourself you wanted to skip class, so this is what we're going to do. Bella gets what Bella wants."

She laughed that innocent and heartwarming laugh of hers and sighed impatiently. "Alright, alright, _caveman_, point taken. I'll go to class. Now, will you get off of me please?"

I smirked at my victory and pushed myself off her, scooping her into my arms and throwing her over my shoulder like the caveman she claimed I was. She obviously didn't expect it and squealed out in surprise. I ignored her and walked over to the bathroom, setting her down on top of the counter.

"Was that necessary? I could've walked the measly two feet, you know!" she giggled, swatting my arm playfully once I handed her a clean towel.

"I was just being the _caveman_ you assume I am," I laughed and patted her knees gently. "I'll take you to school today and I'll come get you once you get out. 11, right?"

She nodded. "Can we go out afterwards?"

"Have you been working on your essay?" I eyed her suspiciously, laughing out loud at the guilty expression on her face. "You haven't even started, have you?"

"I have!" she argued. "I've actually got about two and a half pages, just to let you know."

"Oooh, impressive." I chucked sarcastically, dodging her swat. "But if it's what you really want, yes, we'll go out afterwards if you promise to do your homework."

"Yes, _father_." Bella groaned, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Now, get out so I can shower."

I stayed right where I was, wondering if I should just ask what I wanted to ask.

"What?" she asked, noticing I had been staring.

"I make you breakfast in bed, offer to take you to school, and I don't even get a good morning or a thank you?" I pretended to be hurt, clutching at my chest as she giggled. "I see now what my actions are worth."

Before I could turn to walk away, her hand grabbed my wrist and her other hand went to the back of my neck where she pulled me down to her lips for a sweet and soft kiss. As quick as it came, it ended as I stared at her in utter disbelief. Her cheeks were pink again as she bit her lip and smiled at me, "Good morning, Edward. And thank you for the pancakes, they were delicious."

Definitely, _definitely_ heading in the right direction. I could get used to this.

* * *

I pulled up in front of school and laughed when Bella groaned and pulled at her hair. "You are _so_ lucky you don't have classes today."

"It's only a little less than two hours. You'll be fine." I assured, staring at her curiously when she yanked a binder out of her book bag and tossed it aside. "You don't need that?"

"No, it's for Peterson's class. Can you do me a favor and take it back to your place? I don't want to carry it."

I nodded and watched as she unbuckled her seat belt, opening the car door. "Bella?"

She turned back to me. "Yeah?"

I leaned in a few inches and pressed my lips onto hers for the second time in a few hours and smiled once I pulled away. "I'll see you at 11."

Bella looked a bit dazed as she shook her head. If she was allowed to kiss me without warning, I should be able to pay her the very same favor, right? After her seemingly long silence, she finally answered, "I look forward to it." She blew her traditional kiss at me and turned in the other direction towards her class.

Once she was out of sight, I drove to Alice and Jasper's townhouse to drop off the leftover strawberries from last night. I pulled into the driveway and grabbed the wrapped plate, ringing the doorbell once I was at the doorstep. After a minute or two, the door finally opened. I inwardly groaned when I remembered how early it was. Or well, I figured it was early for everyone else.

"Hey, Edward." Jasper greeted sleepily, wearing only a pair of grey sweatpants and some fuzzy slippers on his feet. "Come on in."

I followed him into their house. "Thanks, Jasper. I'm just here to drop these off. Is Alice--"

"Good morning!"

I looked up and actually cried out in horror as I averted my eyes and slapped my hand over my eyes. "Alice! What the hell? Go put some clothes on!" I didn't care anymore about being a rude guest. I had just seen my sister in some kind of _very_ skimpy lingerie that she had probably bought for only Jasper to see for goodness sakes! She had a robe carelessly thrown on herself and didn't even bother to tie it, so it hung open and revealed what was underneath.

She huffed and slapped my arm. "How rude. You're in my house, you know!"

"Yes I know, and I apologize for that, but come on! You're my_ sister_, Alice. I don't want to see you in anything less than a shirt and jeans!" I still had my hand slapped over my face.

"How is it any different than seeing me in a bathing suit?"

"That's _way_ different. A bathing suit means innocent fun at the beach or pool. That, on the other hand," I finally opened my eyes and pointed to her godforsaken outfit. "means other things I'd rather not think about, ever. Lace and ribbons and frilly things means something happened last night, so for the sake of my sanity, _please_ close your robe."

Alice simply laughed and shook her head, tying her robe together finally. "Alright, alright, you Carlisle wanna-be clone. Happy now? You think you'd loosen up a bit after being around Bella so much. She doesn't wear stuff like this to bed?"

I groaned at her remark and ran my fingers through my hair. Why was it that just because Bella and I were under temporary living arrangements together, both my siblings kept assuming we had already done it? "Alice, Bella is not my girlfriend. Of course she wouldn't wear something like that to bed."

She grabbed a strawberry off the plate I had put down and took a bite out of it. "You haven't asked her yet? Jeez, Edward, get a move on! She obviously likes you. What's the hold up?"

"She _just_ got out of a relationship. I don't want to rush her back into something she just got herself out of." I countered, plopping down on her couch.

"If she really was so afraid of getting back in a relationship, don't you think she would distance herself from you more? The only person she's probably trying to stay away from is that Jacob Black kid."

I raised a brow at my sister, wondering how she knew about all of that. "Did Bella tell you all of this when you went shopping?"

"Yup," she answered, leaning against the kitchen counter. "I asked her what happened between them. Apparently that jerk cheated on her in his father's room at the hospital? That ass."

I snorted at the memory and instantly got angry remembering how many times he had made her cry. Ass was an understatement for Jacob Black.

"And I hear you _punched_ him, Edward? How do you think Carlisle's going to react to that?!"

I knew very well I'd be chewed out for that by my parents since they were heavily against any kind of violence, but they had yet to ask me about it so I thought maybe Jacob didn't say anything to anyone just yet. "I know, I know. But I couldn't help it. If some girl was bad mouthing Jasper, wouldn't you want to defend him?" Once I brought up Jasper, I looked around to find him but he was nowhere in sight. He most likely went back to bed.

"Of course I'd want to defend him. But Jasper is my _boyfriend_. I understand Bella is your friend, but there's obviously a lot more beneath the surface if you're willing to pop a guy in the face for talking down on her, right?" she bit into another strawberry. "Edward, seriously, just _ask_ her. Who cares if it's only been, what, almost two weeks? There aren't time limits when it comes to emotions. Sometimes, you just can't help what you feel for someone, you know? You can't help what you feel for her or the fact that she just got out of a relationship not so long ago. But if you don't try, you know you're going to regret it."

I groaned at my sister's advice and grabbed my car keys off her counter. Even though she made complete sense, I don't know why I didn't care to take it. "Thanks for everything you've done, Alice. I owe you." I leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, heading out the door to head back to school. It was still early but the last time I had picked her up, I was a few minutes late. I wanted to make sure it wouldn't happen again, not to mention I had quite a few things to think about.

* * *

I sat in the parking lot with just about half an hour left until Bella got out of class. I ended up going back to my apartment to pick up all the rose petals, putting them in a clear Ziploc bag in the fridge if Bella wanted any more to keep for herself and yet I still had time to kill. There was nothing to listen to on the radio and I was too lazy to drive anywhere else. Bella's Anthropology binder was still sitting in the passenger seat as I groaned, remembering she had asked me to take it back to my place. Curiously, I opened it and shuffled through her notes, wondering if she was being honest about getting two and a half pages done. Perhaps it was a slight invasion of privacy, but it was a class assignment so I knew it couldn't have been too bad. I could look over it for her and correct any kinds of errors, if there were any.

I finally found the pages, noticing they had many scribbles and white-out marks everywhere. It must have been her draft. Curiosity got the best of me as I began to read,

_Married at 21_. I chuckled softly at the title and continued on. _Many people of various ages cower at the thought or idea of commitment in fear of it someday having to come to an end. One of my professors even told me before that one of his students couldn't even own a pet because they were so scared of having to lose it later on in life._

I never thought of it that way before, actually. I knew people were scared of commitment, but I never realized that that fear could also be derived from the fear of losing that person one day after getting too attached. I scanned through a few scribbled out sentences until I found a good place to start again.

_I was skeptical at the idea of being "married" to a total stranger at first and my boyfriend, at the time, flipped out even more once I found out who my partner was. I guess his reaction was most likely a typical one. I was going to be spending most of my time with another man who wasn't him. Not to mention we'd be underneath the same roof for 28 days straight. I started this assignment thinking my partner, Edward and I would constantly be awkward around each other, but it turns out to be the complete opposite._

I couldn't help the smile that formed on my face as I continued.

_Throughout the many problems life decided to throw at me, Edward was always there as my shoulder to lean on and the open arms of support I so desperately needed. I'm sure the world wouldn't have so many problems with commitment if there were more people like him in existence. He's grown on me so much in just a few days and I've finally learned what it means when people say "When one door closes, another one opens." My name is Isabella Swan-Cullen and this is my experience on being married at 21 years of age._

I laughed out loud at how she referred to herself as Isabella Swan-Cullen as if we were legally married. She was very creative and I was surprised how much I was already enjoying reading her essay. I would make sure to ask to read her final draft once it was written out since that was all she had, along with many scribbles and crossed out lines. Her draft outline was poking out through the other pages and the first thing I noticed on it was "Went to Forks, didn't sleep underneath the same roof.." with "Include or not include?" scribbled right next to it. I chuckled at the memory, wondering if she was going to put it in or not. Professor Peterson would definitely get angry that we had disobeyed his instructions, but at least she wouldn't be falsifying the information, right? Not to mention that it had only happened once.

I flipped through the pages and found the last page of her outline, only noticing one thing which I guessed was to be included somewhere in her conclusion. _Be sure to thank Professor Peterson for partnering me up with someone like Edward, _it said.

The smile couldn't leave my face now even if I tried. I knew she'd be looking at the outline again sooner or later and I had an idea. I grabbed a pen out of the glove compartment and wrote a note to her, shoving all the paper back inside her binder when I was finished. Once I was done, I sat and debated on whether or not I should just scribble the note out. Would she get mad that I was reading her paper? Knowing Bella, she wouldn't chew me out for being a nosy prick, but I still felt bad. It felt like I was invading her privacy by reading her essay without permission and right when I was about to scribble it out, she knocked on the passenger window. I sighed in defeat and realized there was no turning back once I unlocked the door and she hopped in.

"How was class?" I asked, pushing her essay and the note I had written into the back of my head as I backed out of the parking lot.

"Boring as usual. I have another few chapters to read by next week." she sighed, opening her window a bit. "So, where are we going today?"

"I need to do some grocery shopping. Other than that, I don't have anything in mind. Is there anywhere you feel like going?"

Bella thought about it for a second and shook her head after, "Hmm. No, I can't think of anything. How about we just do what comes to mind?"

I smiled at her. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

"Bella, there are still a lot of bananas back at my place," I laughed, trying to get her away from the fruit section she'd been stationed at for so long.

"It's your fault you made those banana pancakes today. They were delicious, and now I don't think I can eat anything else for breakfast." she smiled and held a bundle of bananas to me. I couldn't say no to her and nodded the okay to put them in the cart. "What else do you need?"

"What do you want for dinner tonight?" I asked, looking at the different meats in front of me.

"I want..." Bella paused. "Fast food tonight. Burger and fries."

I stared at her in amusement as she smiled and continued her way down another aisle. "You sure? You don't want a romantic candlelit dinner tonight, Mrs. _Cullen_?" I loved teasing her with that but she never seemed to get offended, regardless of how many times I threw it at her.

"Not tonight, but I'll take you up on the offer sometime soon. I'm a true sucker for any of Edward Cullen's homemade meals," she giggled and tossed a small pack of panty liners into the cart as I laughed. It amazed me how comfortable her and I gotten with each other in only a few days. I still couldn't even buy Alice pads or tampons without freaking out like a maniac, but with Bella, it was so effortless. Being around her was the easiest thing to do and it really made me wish I had gotten enough guts to talk to her all those years ago.

"You don't have to pay for those, you know. But since we're at your place more often than mine, I decided I should have some there just in case." she pointed out, walking down another aisle as I followed.

"I don't mind. I'd have issues buying them if I were alone but since you're here, it isn't a problem."

She smiled and gasped out in surprise, pointing out something on one of the shelves. Once I caught up, I noticed why she was smiling and tossed it into the cart. I knew what she had in mind.

* * *

"Dammit!"

I could hear Emmett yelling from where we were and groaned once I saw he was in his normal spot in front of the vending machine. "What happened now, Emmett? They forgot to restock?"

His head turned at the sound of my voice and he had the saddest puppy dog face I'd ever seen. I wanted to laugh. "Worse. The string on my quarter broke and it got stuck inside the machine."

That did it. I howled in laughter and heard Bella's quiet stifled laugh behind me as Emmett's brows furrowed. "What?! This is no laughing matter, Eddie! I worked hard to get that hole into the quarter! And now it's gone!"

I continued to laugh even though he punched me in the shoulder, muttering something I couldn't interpret. I couldn't even be mad that he called me the one name I couldn't stand since I was laughing so hard. "Anyway, when you decide to _shut up_, I'm curious. What are you guys doing here? You're off today, aren't you?"

Once I calmed down, I straightened my shirt out and wiped at my eyes a little. "Yes, I'm off, but Bella had something she wanted to give to you."

Emmett's brow raised. "_Bella_ wanted to give me something?"

She came from behind me and held out the king sized bag of Doritos she had bought for him at the supermarket. His eyes lit up and I was wondering if he had ever seen a bag this size before. They were the well-known nacho cheese flavor which I knew was his favorite and Bella was so persistent on getting them that I couldn't say no.

"I know they're not from the vending machine, but I figured you'd like them?" Before I could blink, Emmett had Bella in a bear hug off the ground as I tried to hold back my laugh once the bag of chips fell to the ground. It sounded like a lot of them crunched and I began to think Emmett just had bad luck with Doritos in general.

"That was thoughtful of you, Bells. Thanks!" Emmett said once he set her back down on her feet. She looked just as baffled as I was when he used the nickname since neither of us had told him. "I like her a lot more, Eddie. Are you two finally sleeping together?"

Her face flushed red as I slapped my forehead in aggravation. "I knew coming here would be a bad idea. Can't you _ever_ think of anything but sex?"

"I meant sleeping in the same bed together because last you told me, you were on the couch! What were _you_ thinking?" he laughed his big booming laugh and picked his Doritos up off the ground. "Hey, since things are a bit slow today, how about we race? We haven't in so long!"

My eyes narrowed and I automatically replied, "No."

"Race?" Bella asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Bella, no." I firmly stated, glaring at Emmett for even bringing it up.

"If you won't do it, then maybe Bells here will. Whaddya say, Bella? Up for a little race with good ole me?" Emmett asked, nudging her with his elbow.

"Exactly what _kind_ of a race are we talking about?" she questioned as Emmett wrapped his huge arm around her shoulders.

I groaned and did the best I could to try and persuade her out of it, but he obviously had her won over. With how clumsy Bella was always saying she was, this _definitely_ wouldn't be good. At least we were in a hospital if anything were to go wrong. I found the closest object of wood near me and knocked on it. The last thing I needed was her being rushed to the ER.

* * *

"Yeah, whoo!" Emmett cheered, pumping his arms into the air in victory.

"There's no way I can win against you! Your arm muscles are the same size as my thighs!" Bella groaned once Emmett passed her up in the wheelchair once again.

When Emmett and I got bored on days we worked together, we'd always sneak two of the wheelchairs out and race down the hallways, hoping no one would catch us. There were quite a few times where we'd gotten into a lot of trouble, but we continued doing it since the thrill of it was strangely exhilarating. I couldn't believe they were already on their third race and no one had stopped them yet. With Emmett's loud cheers and Bella's complaints, I was sure it'd be over before it even started.

"Are you gonna give your girl a break now and race me, Edward?" Emmett asked, wheeling the chair over to me. "Her arms must be killing her right now. One race is all I'm asking for."

I looked over at Bella and saw the look of determination on her face. She wanted to beat Emmett at least once, so if I took over, she wouldn't get the chance to try once more. "Let Bella have one more go at it. I'm not up for getting scolded at today."

Emmett looked over at Bella, crossing his arms jokingly. "Well now, Bells, how's about one more race? I'll even give you a head start this time."

"I don't_ need_ a head start, muscle man."

"There we go! That's the spirit! Fuel all that anger and pent up frustration towards me and you might just win!"

I chuckled heartily as they wheeled themselves to the other side of the hallway where they'd start on my count. It amazed me beyond belief how well Bella got along with both Alice and Emmett, despite their completely different personalities. The wonderful thing was that the whole time, Bella was just being Bella. She wasn't trying to impress either of them and she wasn't faking any part of who she was. One day I think I'll thank Jacob for screwing up so badly, otherwise I would've never gotten the opportunities I was getting with her every day. "Ready?" I saw them both put their hands on the wheels of the chair, readying themselves. "Go!"

They raced down the long hall as I watched from where I was, trying to figure out who would be the winner. It seemed pretty neck and neck to me. Bella was actually keeping up with Emmett this time and I figured the whole pent up frustration thing really got her going.

Before I could warn either of them, someone turned into the corner of the hallway, right in the middle of Bella and Emmett's race. They both yelled out in surprise as Emmett dodged the newcomer and collided with Bella's wheelchair, both of them stumbling to the floor. As fast as I could, I made my way over to the both of them and helped Bella up, "Are you alright, Bella?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Probably just a few bruises on my legs, no big deal." she replied, taking my offered hand.

"Oh jeez, Emmett, _really_? Wheelchair racing again?"

All of us turned to the voice and Emmett's face immediately fell. She tapped her foot against the tile of the floor and threw her long blonde hair over her shoulder, obviously annoyed at what had just happened. "I was calling you. You told me to meet you here for your lunch break and instead I find you racing down the halls again?"

"I'm sorry, Rose. I don't have my phone with me, I didn't know you were calling." Emmett apologized, getting up quickly and taking her into his arms. "You still love me?"

She pouted her lips and dodged his kiss, turning to me and Bella with a smile. "Edward! It's been a while since I've seen you!" She wrapped her arms around me and I gave her a light peck on top of her head. "How's everything? Are you still dating Tanya?"

I froze at the name as Bella looked up at me curiously. "No, I'm not dating her anymore, Rosalie. She was a little too much to handle."

"Ah, I see." Rose hummed in thought, smiling at Bella. "Ah. New girlfriend?"

"No, just a..." I paused, trying to think of what it was exactly that Bella and I were. "My.. partner for a class assignment. Rosalie, Bella. Bella, Rosalie."

"It's really nice to finally meet you, Rosalie." Bella said, shaking Rosalie's hand.

"You, too, Bella. You can just call me Rose, by the way. Oh! And, do me a favor and _please_ get Edward out of his shell. He's always been so... not out there." she giggled and slapped me on the back playfully. "Maybe now you won't have to be the fifth wheel when we all go out!"

"Baby, are you just going to ignore me like I'm not even here?" Emmett whined, holding her from behind. "I've missed you all day."

Rosalie rolled her ice blue eyes and smiled at both of us again. "It was good seeing you again, Edward. And very nice meeting you, Bella. I hope we see more of each other in the future." With a wave, she and Emmett left hand in hand as he wheeled both the chairs back to their proper places.

"You know, you _almost_ had him beat." I laughed once we started walking back to my car. "But that was quite a crash. You're sure you're okay?"

"I told you, I'm fine." she laughed, rubbing at her elbows. "Like I said, I'll probably just get a few bruises. It's nothing big."

I bent over a little and pulled her elbow to me, giving it a little kiss as she blushed at the minuscule action. I loved it every time she blushed. "Feel better?"

"Much. Thank you," she gave my waist a small hug before we got into the car and headed back to my place.

* * *

On the way back, we stopped by a fast food joint and got ourselves burgers and milkshakes. Bella ordered fries with hers and I got cheddar bacon potato wedges with mine. Nothing was better than a good burger after not having one for so long. We curled up next to each other on the couch and watched whatever movie was on as we ate.

"So, are you working tomorrow?" Bella asked, taking a bite of her cheeseburger.

"Sadly, yes. I'm working tomorrow night from 7 to 12." I groaned. I hated working at night. I was always so much more exhausted the next day. "Are you?"

"Yes, but only for three hours in the morning. How am I ever going to keep myself busy with you gone?" she joked, shoving a few of her french fries into her mouth. "Rosalie is gorgeous, by the way."

I wondered where that had come from as I took a bite into my double cheeseburger. "She may not look like it, but she's just as crazy about Emmett as he is about her."

She smiled the way any girl would every time she'd see a cute couple. "That sounds nice."

I nodded and took one of her fries as she huffed and slapped my hand playfully. It only made me take more.

"So, Edward," she began, taking a sip of her milkshake. "I keep hearing about this Tanya girl. Who is she?"

I felt like someone had just dumped a bucket of cold water down my head. Eventually, I knew it'd come up sooner or later but I dreaded the thought of it regardless. I hated talking about her. I hated talking about her and I. I hated talking about _anything_ that had to deal with her. "She is a girl I used to date."

"An ex girlfriend?" Bella asked, suddenly very interested in the topic.

"I wouldn't say ex girlfriend, but I guess to make things easier, you could call her that." I took a few more of her fries in hopes she'd just drop it.

"Oh." she said simply, taking a potato wedge from me. "How long ago were you two dating?"

"I don't know, a month ago maybe."

She nodded and took another sip of her milkshake, popping a few more fries into her mouth.

"Bella, don't let it bother you. She's in my past, just like Jacob's in yours." I put my hand on her knee and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I know, Edward. Don't worry. Thanks." she smiled at me and all the worry I had of her being mad was gone as I took another bite of my burger. "Is she pretty?"

Maybe I spoke too soon. I coughed a little and swallowed down the food, staring at her seriously. "Bella,"

"I know, I know! But can't a girl be curious? You've never told me about her. I just want to know."

I sighed and put my food down. She was impossibly stubborn. "Yes, Bella. I will admit, she's attractive, but she was too much for me to handle. It seemed like all she was interested in were the physical benefits of a relationship. I told her over and over that I'd love to be with her _someday_, but that it just didn't feel like the right time. It didn't stop her from trying her absolute best to persuade me into a relationship, even though I was against it. She thought I'd change my mind if she gave me a little sample of how it would be if I would just invite her into my apartment for the night." I saw her cringe at this and decided to throw the rest of the story in. "Bella, I never agreed to it because it didn't feel right. We ended on really bad terms and that's why I don't like talking about her so much. She called me 'the biggest fucking tease' she ever met and said she hated my guts. 'How can you kiss me like that and just say _good night_ right after? You don't do that someone if you have absolutely no intentions of following through with something more!' she said to me. I didn't know what I did wrong, but it was obviously bad enough for her to throw her shoe at me."

"She threw her shoe at you?" Bella asked, sounding baffled that someone would do such a thing.

"Yeah, it was a high heeled shoe, too. Look here," I moved the hair from my forehead aside to show her the scar that was left behind. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, I suppose."

"Wow." she whistled, leaning over to press her lips against the healed wound. "Better?"

I chuckled at the way she stole my move from earlier but pushed it aside. "Yes. Thank you."

There wasn't anything else mentioned about Tanya after that, for which I was glad. We finished the movie and our food and once we cleaned up after ourselves, we both went to work on our essays. She was working on the table inside the kitchen and I was using my laptop while sprawled out across my bed. I had been doing the daily log like Professor Peterson suggested, but I just didn't know how to get the essay started. I ran my fingers through my hair and tried to come up with a thesis statement, hoping it would all flow from there.

"Edward!" Bella called from outside my room.

"Yeah?" She seemed really upset once I lifted my eyes to meet hers. I pushed my laptop aside and sat up, staring at her curiously. "What's the matter?"

"Did... did you write this?"

"Write what?"

She shook her head and pointed at her draft outline. "Don't play stupid right now, Edward. I need to know."

I had completely forgotten about the little note I'd written to her earlier in the day. I couldn't tell if she was mad or sad or upset or pissed. Either way, they all pretty much meant the same thing but I couldn't decipher the look on her face and the sound of her voice to match up with any of those emotions. "What does it say?"

Her brows furrowed at me as she looked down at her paper and quoted, "Bella, once you read this, know that I never thought I'd be lucky enough to be blessed with someone as wonderful as you to be with every day."

I tried to hold back and continued to play dumb, "Is that it?"

Bella came closer to me and held the piece of paper out, "No."

I shook my head and watched her every move. "What else does it say?"

"This isn't what I intended, but someone once told me that there are no time limits when it comes to your emotions, that sometimes you just can't help how you feel about someone. Being around you is the easiest thing I've ever had to do, and something I'd gladly do over and over."

"Hmmm," I mused, nodding at her to continue. "What else?"

She bit her lip once I rose to my feet to take her face between both my hands. "Edward, did you write this?"

"What else does it say, Bella?"

"It says..."

"It says?"

I felt her arms wrap around my waist loosely as she searched my eyes for the truth. "Edward. When did you--"

"Bella, there's more on it, isn't there? Tell me what it says." I brushed my thumb against her bottom lip, doing my very best to let her finish. If she didn't say something soon, I would.

"Tonight will be the night that I will fall for you all over again. Isabella Swan, be my girlfriend?" she sighed and looked up into my eyes, tightening her grip around my waist. "That's what it says, Edward.."

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_**End of Chapter Twelve**_

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**Author's Notes:** Yay. Did this chapter make anybody happy? I sure hope so. I liked writing it :) For those of you who noticed, yes it's a line from one of my favorite songs, "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade. It's really good and you guys should check it out!

And, Edward's infamous ex flame is introduced! Dun dun dun! And just like how Jacob's a pest in this story, Tanya will definitely be one, too. She'll come into the story in a few chapters. Along with more fluff with our favorite couple, yay! We're making progress, people! -Cheers-

Thanks again to whoever nominated my story into the Lion and Lamb awards! And thanks to all the numerous frequent and new readers who have added this to your favorites and alerts! I love you all!

Please don't forget to review. It keeps my spirit going, so until next time then! :)

--_Burrberry Bugsy_


	13. Tell It To My Heart

**Author's Notes:** See? Just like I said, I got this chapter out to you guys in two days! Well deserved though since we almost hit 600 reviews, can you believe that? YAY! You're the best readers and reviewers out there, no lie! I won't ramble on too much (FOR ONCE, haha!) and instead just let you guys get to the chapter. I hope you enjoy!

I mentioned the two Lion and Lamb Award nominations, right? Whoever it was, will you please reveal to me who you are so I can give you a proper thank you? :)

And hey, guess what? **I'm officially 19!** If you guys could include a "Happy Birthday" in your review or something, it'd make me the happiest 19-year old out there! :)****

Special thanks to: LibraryLady08, mj twilighter, cinderele, TwiDi, SkittleRocker, jaimelotr4ever, RaCullen, Delaware forever, jro jro jro, Danielle, whenpoetryrises, edward is mine 003, miss maj, Lillie Cullen, and shaz308! Thanks so much to everyone who also wished me an early birthday greet! You're all wonderful, I can't say that enough times. I'm so sorry I haven't been able to reply to any reviews lately but I will start again with the reviews for this chapter. The past two weeks have been a bit hectic, so hopefully life will cut me some slack. I DO read each and every single review though, I promise.

Erica, you know exactly what I'm going to say. Sorry I haven't e-mailed you back yet, but I'll get on it asap, promise! Thank you for helping me out with ideas, trusting me with yours, and just for being a great friend in general. You rock, and I love you lots!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Twilight.

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**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Tell It To My Heart**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it be to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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**Bella Swan**

My heart just about stopped as I shuffled through the messy chicken scratches I called writing all over my draft outline. There was a small part of my outline I knew I didn't write. It wasn't my handwriting and didn't sound like anything I'd say. I read each word carefully, feeling my pulse increase as I stumbled out the chair I was in. "Edward!"

"Yeah?"

I stood at the door of his room, holding the paper as tightly as I could. Was it really true? He wouldn't play this big of a joke on me, right? Edward picks on me, but he'd never make me think...

"What's the matter?"

I seriously needed to calm myself down so I didn't sound like a babbling idiot. "Did... did you write this?"

"Write what?"

No. _No_! He was _not_ going to play the 'I don't know what you're talking about' game with me. "Don't play stupid right now, Edward. I need to know."

He arched a brow at me and then at the paper I was clutching so tightly. "What does it say?"

Ugh, he was going to play the 'I don't know what you're talking about' game with me, damn him! I quoted it word for word, "Bella, once you read this, know that I never thought I'd be lucky enough to be blessed with someone as wonderful as you to be with every day."

"Is that it?"

Damn him again for being able to play it so well, too! I took a step closer to him and held out the piece of paper, wanting _him_ to read it. "No."

"What else does it say?"

Argh! Why did he have to be so irritating and so dazzling at the same time? It's not fair! You shouldn't be allowed to piss someone off as much as you were able to sweep them off their feet! It just isn't right! Edward left me no other choice but to play along as I continued, "This isn't what I intended, but someone once told me that there are no time limits when it comes to your emotions, that sometimes you just can't help how you feel about someone. Being around you is the easiest thing I've ever had to do, and something I'd gladly do over and over."

"Hmmm," he hummed to himself, nodding. "What else?"

I wanted more than anything for him to just read me the words himself. I wanted the words to come out of his mouth, not out of mine. My heartbeat sped up as he stood up and cradled my pink stained face in his hands. "Edward, did you write this?"

"What else does it say, Bella?"

"It says..." It felt like a cat was holding onto my tongue. Damn you, cat.

"It says?" he pressed.

If my legs didn't feel like complete mush, I think I would have stepped on his foot. It was driving me insane! All I wanted was for him to admit it was him, jeez! Was that so much to ask? "Edward. When did you--"

"Bella, there's more on it, isn't there? Tell me what it says."

There! Proof! Solid freaking proof that he DID write the note. It was obviously none other than Edward, but I wanted him to _admit_ to it. I didn't care that he snooped through my stuff. I didn't care that he wrote on my draft outline that I'd have to do all over again. All I wanted was for him to repeat the words he had written.

He waited without saying a word and I knew he wasn't going to admit to it until I finished reading what was on the paper. So, I recited the last bit from memory, "Tonight will be the night that I will fall for you all over again. Isabella Swan, be my girlfriend?" His hands caressed my cheeks gently as I tightened my arms around his waist. "That's what it says, Edward.."

"Sounds like someone's got quite a thing for you, Bella," he chuckled softly, his lips only a few inches away from mine. "So.. what's your answer to that?"

"Edward," It came out almost like a whine. I _knew_ it was him and he knew that I knew it was him, too. Why did he have to be so impossible? Stupid dazzling Edward Cullen. "I know you wrote this. Please, just tell me straight that you did."

Edward shook his head and placed his forehead against mine, hovering closer to my lips. "Bella, what's your answer?"

What was my answer? _Yes_! Yes, yes, yes. HELL yes. But, I couldn't get it out. I wanted to, but I couldn't. What the hell was wrong with me?! Oh, I know what the hell was wrong with me.

_Jacob Black_ corrupted my mind into thinking I'd always get hurt. There was still a part of my heart that hurt every time I remember walking into the room with Jacob and Leah right in front of my face. I couldn't erase the mental image no matter how hard I tried. It didn't make me cry anymore, but it _did_ make me hurt like hell on the inside. I didn't want that to happen again. I never want that pain to ever come back to haunt me. It's a terrible, ripping, excruciating type of pain that stays with you even though you've learned to be okay again. That's why I was hesitating. That's the only reason why I didn't scream yes at the top of my lungs as soon as I read the words.

I'm _scared_.

I don't want to be, but I am. I just had my heart broken and shoved into my face and it broke me down like I never imagined possible. Reading Edward's note gave me just as many butterflies as it did chills and if I said yes, wouldn't I just be subjecting myself to the same thing I ran away from, to the same thing that ripped me open to fall apart to bits and pieces?

I _can't_ do it.

I'm sorry, Edward. I can't do it. I'm too afraid. Fragile, even. I'm a freaking wimp, I know. What kind of a person would I be if I asked you to wait until I could get over my fear of being hurt? I can't do that to you. I just can't. I want to say yes to you more than anything but, I'm scared. I'm a _coward_. I'm sorry. So _sorry_...

"Bella?" Edward asked, snapping me out of my trance.

Our gazes locked together and my breath caught in my throat. The only thing I saw reflected back at me was the sincerity gleaming in his gorgeous forest green eyes. Sincerity. Compassion. Adoration.

Okay... wait just a second. What, in the _hell_ was I thinking?! _How_ could I even think that?

Screw all that!

Move aside Girly Bella, Sergeant Suck-it-up is taking over.

Edward wasn't going to hurt me the way Jacob did. Edward was the one who fixed me when I kept falling apart, the glue that held me together, the only reason why I was able to stop crying so much. He wasn't going to hurt me. Not now, not later, not ever. He showed more compassion towards me in a week than Jacob ever did in months. Who was I to compare them to each other? Who was I to even _think_ Edward could ever hurt me that way? It was at that very moment that I realized, Edward was everything Jacob wasn't.

"Bella," Edward whispered, his brows furrowing slightly. "I'm sorry. If you're not ready..."

I didn't let him finish as I yanked him down to meet my lips, tip toeing slightly to make it easier on us. I didn't want him to take it back. I didn't want him to think I wasn't ready. My mouth came off his as I played with the hair on the nape of his neck, my heart feeling as if it were about to jump right out of my chest. "Yes,"

"Wait. Yes?" he repeated, his lips curving into a smile.

"Yes! Yes, yes. _Yes_, a million times yes!" I squealed, throwing myself at him unexpectedly. He held my body against his and I never felt more secure in anybody's arms than I did at that moment.

I didn't care about anything other than him. I didn't care that we never said anything to each other years ago. I didn't care it had only been a little less than two weeks because he said himself that you couldn't put a time limit on your emotions. This was exactly what I wanted. _He_ was exactly what I wanted.

"You had me worried for a second there." Edward admitted with a chuckle, kissing the crook of my neck.

"Well, good! You deserved it for playing dumb while I was freaking out." I muttered against his chest, trying to be mad even though I was failing miserably.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. You're not mad? That I read your essay?"

I shook my head and caressed his face gently. "I could care less that you looked at it. I'm too happy to care about anything right now."

Edward chuckled and kissed my forehead softly. "I can relate to you on that." He placed baby kisses on my lips over and over and I couldn't help but giggle at the sort of childlike quality the kisses had to them. He didn't admit to writing it that night, but I didn't care. It didn't matter anymore. All that mattered to me was that he was my boyfriend. Let me repeat that, _Edward Cullen_ was my boyfriend. MY boyfriend. Mine.

Take that, Jacob Black. Take that, Leah Clearwater.

And as much as I hated to admit it to myself at first, I had to confess that _he_ was probably right. Jacob and I were better as friends. So, take that, Billy Black. I don't need your son. Not anymore.

* * *

It was Friday, finally. No classes to go to and only a short three-hour shift at 10 to worry about. I felt all the drowsiness in my body float away as I slowly opened my eyes and felt the warmth of Edward's breath against my neck. For once, I had woken up before he did! My mind was screaming payback but Girly Bella just couldn't do it. Turns out Sergeant Suck-it-up wasn't as persistent as Girly Bella, who was too wrapped up in the fact that she was in her boyfriend's arms to even consider any kind of payback. _Boyfriend_. I couldn't get enough of the damn word. Boyfriend, boyfriend, boyfriend.

And then I remembered that boyfriend of mine had a shift from 7pm until midnight, and a rude awakening would do him no good anyway. I guess the payback would just have to wait. I got out of bed as quietly as I could and showered, quickly running the towel through my hair to get it to air dry. I had completely forgotten my truck was still at my place so I'd have to either walk to work or take the bus. I could drive Edward's car or ask him to take me but I didn't have it in me to wake him up when he looked so peaceful.

It wasn't until I opened Edward's fridge that an idea struck me. I grabbed the orange juice and poured myself a glass as I scrolled down the first couple of names on my list of contacts and hit call. It rang a few times before someone finally picked up.

"Hello?"

"Alice," I sighed, glad to hear that she didn't sound as if I had just woken her up. "it's Bella."

"Hi Bella!" she sounded perky. "What's up?"

"I have work soon, and I don't have my car since it's back at my place..." I really hoped she could help me out. "And, I'm sorry to ask you this all of a sudden, but do you think--"

"Of course!" I swear, she really seemed psychic at times. "I'm actually heading to work in a bit as well, so that would work out great."

I loved Alice at that moment. "You'll take me?"

"You're at Edward's place, right?"

"Yeah," I replied, setting the glass down inside the sink so I could start looking for my turquoise apron.

"Alright. I'll come get you in, twenty minutes. Is that fine?"

"That's perfect, thank you so much, Alice! You're a lifesaver."

"I've been told," she giggled. "How _are_ you and my dear brother, by the way?"

I bit my lip and sighed quietly, knowing she was going to find out one way or another. "Well, Edward and I... are actually, together now."

A loud shriek came from the other end of the phone as I pulled it away from my ear as quickly as I could. It felt like I was deaf in one ear as I grudgingly put it back to hearing range. "You want to warn me next time you decide to sound like a siren?!"

"Scratch twenty minutes, I'm coming over now! You've got to tell me everything, alright?!" I heard the jingling of her keys and groaned internally. Maybe asking Alice for a ride to work was a bad idea after all.. "I'll see you soon, Bella!"

She hung up before I could get another word out. There was this phrase Jacob always used to use every time he found out about something bad. If I remember correctly, it was, fuck my life. After thinking about how much Alice was going to be on my case about Edward and I, and how much _more_ of a reason Emmett had to tease us both, _fuck my life_ couldn't be more of a perfect phrase since it still had a humorous vibe to it. I knew she'd be at the front soon so I quietly crept back into Edward's room, glad to see he was still sound asleep. I grabbed Edward's phone off the night stand and shoved it into my pocket. Once I was sure the sound would be drowned out, I pulled mine out and typed my message,

_Your payback will come some other day, so watch out! And before you think otherwise, I DID give you your good morning kiss. See you in a few hours!_

Once I hit send, his phone made a quiet noise a few seconds later to indicate the text was received as I pulled it out of my pocket and set it back on the night stand.

"1 new message from: Bella" flashed on the screen as I bent down to his face, kissing his lips as softly as I could. He didn't stir even slightly. Thank goodness.

* * *

"He used my lines!" Alice cried in joy, leaning against the counter that was used for placing the customer's drinks on. "I can't believe that buffoon _actually_ took my advice!"

Java Monster was nowhere near as busy as I thought it would be, but I figured that was because it was Friday and everyone usually tried to avoid having to take a Friday class at all costs. "Alice, shouldn't you be heading to work?"

She looked at her watch and waved it off. "Nah. I'm usually fashionably late anyway. My manager's gotten used to it."

I laughed quietly and straightened the stack of cups beside me for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Are you at least happy, Bella?" she asked, taking a long sip from her iced chai latte.

"Isn't it obvious?" I asked with a laugh once Alice started bouncing up and down like a kid at Christmas time. Regardless of how perpetually energetic she always was, you couldn't help but love her.

"Finally! I really hope Edward will start to open up then."

She wasn't the first to mention that. I wondered if all of them really thought of him that way. The Edward I had gotten to know didn't seem to match the Edward they were describing. It made me think that maybe, just _maybe_, I had already began to bring him out of his shell. A girl could hope right?

Alice's phone vibrated in her purse as she took it out and groaned, making one of the funniest faces I'd ever seen her make. "Ugh. _Now_ my manager's getting annoyed. I'd better get going, Bella. Thanks for the latte!"

"Thanks for taking me to work." I replied, waving at her from my position behind the counter.

"I'll see you again soon. Call me if you need a ride home?"

I nodded with another wave and walked back to the register when I noticed another customer come in. I was expecting her to throw some kind of a parade once she found out about all the details, but thankfully, she kept her excitement at bay. "What can I get for you today, sir?" I asked politely, already wishing my shift would end.

* * *

After what felt like the most boring three-hour shift I had ever worked, I pulled the trademark turquoise apron up over my head and yanked my hair down from its ponytail. I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my cell phone, seeing "1 new message from: Edward" flashing brightly on the screen. I smiled to myself and flipped it open, reading his message,

_It can't count as a good morning kiss if I didn't even feel it, right? Therefore, I believe you owe me another when you get back. Deal?_

I laughed quietly and started to type out my reply, crashing into another customer like the total klutz I was. It didn't make sense sometimes. I had 20/20 vision, good hearing, stable legs, and yet I always managed to find a way to cause disasters. "Sorry about that!"

"Jeez, Bells, I swear I'm going to buy you your own set of traffic cones to set up around yourself. Maybe even a few 'I am hazardous' signs to staple on your back."

_Bells_. He said Bells. I didn't even have to look up to put a face to the voice and almost immediately, I felt my good mood dissipate into annoyance. "My shift just ended, Jake. So if you're looking for a free drink, I can't help you out."

"I came to _talk _to you."

No thanks. "Look, as much as I'd love to stay and chat," Yeah, _right_. "I've got other places to be."

"You're going to have to talk to me eventually, Bells. You can't keep avoiding me." Jacob said sternly, standing in the entryway of the coffee shop.

I can damn well try. "Jacob,"

"Half an hour is all I'm asking for. Please?"

I crossed my arms and sighed heavily, his puppy dog eyes pleading me to give him the time of day. As much as I didn't want to, I'd have a better chance of him leaving me alone if I let him say what he needed to say and left it at that. I was too nice. Damn. "Half an hour then. And that's it."

He got out of the way with a grin and we walked in silence out to the crowded parking lot. I hesitated once we finally were in front of his red 1986 Volkswagen Rabbit, suddenly regretting my decision to talk to him. I knew what it was going to lead to. It would only lead to us yelling at one another, him telling me he never should've cheated, and then he'd proclaim his love for me as he had done over and over countless times. Blah, blah, blah. Been there, done that.

"You don't have a ride back." he stated as he opened the passenger door for me. "I didn't see your car in the lot, so I assumed you didn't have any way of getting home."

"_How_ exactly did you even know I was working today, Jacob?" I asked, raising a brow. Was he stalking me now?

"Easy. I called the store and asked if you were working." he replied simply. "Get in, Bella. I promise I won't do anything fishy and I'll take you straight home after."

I was an idiot, a complete and total idiot for agreeing to have "_the talk_" with my ex. What was that phrase again? Oh, yeah. _Fuck my life_.

* * *

"Can I get a slice of the combination, with extra cheese and mushrooms?" Jacob ordered as the cashier punched it into the register. "You want anything, Bells?"

I massaged my temples in aggravation and sighed quietly, shaking my head. He said half an hour. Thirty damn minutes. I didn't realize when he said those words that we would end up for lunch at a sit-down pizza parlor. This couldn't be good. "No. I don't, thanks."

Jacob ordered me a small drink anyways and paid the total, sitting down at a table after. "Sorry, I haven't eaten yet. Don't worry, I said thirty minutes and thirty minutes is all I'll take of your time."

I looked down at my phone. "Yeah, well, it's already been twelve, so you've only got eighteen minutes left."

"I meant thirty minutes from when we started talking."

"Can you _please_ just tell me what you wanted to talk about? I'm not in the mood for a beating around the bush type of conversation."

The guy who had taken Jacob's order placed his pizza slice in front of him and like a starved dog, he shoved his face into it and started eating. Boys.

"First of all, I wanted to say sorry. For being a jerk in Peterson's class and for getting that pale prick kicked out that day."

"Pale prick?" I repeated, making sure he heard the irritation in my voice. "If insulting Edward is all you dragged me here to do, I think I'll be on my way." He was absolutely unbelievable. You'd think that being twenty-years old would help him mature even in the slightest way. He didn't have a "teen" slapped to the end of his age anymore like nineteen, or eighteen. He was officially an adult and yet he _still_ seemed to always act ten years minus his age. And I was sick of it. I grabbed my phone off the table and stood up to leave.

"No, wait, Bells!" Jacob smacked his greasy hand on his forehead and muttered angrily to himself. "I always do that. It's habit, sorry."

"Okay, what else is there then?" I spat, sitting back down. I was so annoyed at this point that I didn't care if I was being rude anymore. It was my fault for agreeing to having the talk, I'll admit. But I'd forgotten how much he could annoy me with so few words. It reminded me of the time we had argued over the phone. His stupid "I'm sure _you_ will" phrase sent me over the top and now he had another to add to his collection: pale prick. Edward was right, Jacob definitely needed to write that "How to Offend Women in Five Syllables or Less" book. I'm sure he'd have it done within a few days, hell, maybe even a few hours. How did I ever find it in me to put up with his insatiable attitude all these years?

"Alright, alright. I'll just spit it out then. I, just... wanted to know if," he pulled an onion off his pizza and sighed, "if there was any chance you'd give us another chance. It doesn't have to be now. But maybe, after some time? I know I've told you over and over that you're the one I love and that Leah's not my someone, but give me a chance to prove it. Actions speak louder than words, right?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose like I'd seen Edward do countless times. It was like his mouth was constantly on repeat or something. He never stopped spewing the same words and it was beginning to get old. "Jacob, I thought I told you it just doesn't work that way. Even if Edward and I weren't together, I wouldn't just welcome you back with open arms after what happened. You pretty much shattered any kind of trust I had in you, you know that right? Haven't I told you this before?"

"Wait just a second. Rewind all that for me. Did you just say you and Edward are _together_?" Jacob's hands were clenched into fists now. "Together, together? As in, he's your boyfriend."

"Yes, Jacob. We--"

"What happened to not being one to find a rebound relationship right after breaking up? Your morals?" his voice was dripping with anger and I realized it probably wasn't the best thing for me to mention Edward and I so suddenly like that, but I could care less. He was bound to find out.

"Oh, I'm sorry, _dad_. Am I not allowed to change my mind or something?" I countered, becoming more and more pissed off by the second.

"Bella! We just broke up and already you're dating him, of all people?!"

"You say it like it's so horrible. Like you aren't doing the exact same thing with Leah?"

"Leah is _not_ my girlfriend."

"Yeah well, you could've fooled me!" I growled, slamming my hand down on the table. I knew we were probably causing a scene but the only thing, or person rather, that could calm me down even a little bit was nowhere in sight. It was just Jacob and I, and my anger was sky rocketing, fast. "Making out with her in front of me at Ben's? Saying she's better than me? Choosing to turn your back on our relationship to test the waters of what you were feeling for her?"

"Bella, I told you I was sorry about that, didn't I? How many times do I have to apologize to you?"

"I don't _want_ you to say sorry to me anymore, Jacob, that's the thing!" I shook my head. "What's done, is done. You can't change what happened with you and Leah. There's no way you can go back and do things differently. It should've never happened in the first place but it did, and it sucks, but there's nothing either of us can do about it. I am with Edward now, and I'm not going to apologize for that."

Jacob's dark eyes focused on mine and I knew he was doing his very best to keep his temper at bay. I was pissing him off and it was only going to get worse, but it had to be said.

"Did you know I almost said no to Edward because I was so afraid he'd hurt me like you did?" I asked, seeing him wince slightly at that. "Yeah, Jacob. You hurt me enough that I actually feared putting myself in that position again. You know why? Because besides Charlie, you were the only guy I put any kind of trust in. You were always there for me when I needed you. You were the sun in my life for years and years as we grew up side by side. You were my shoulder, my strength, and my best friend. You know that, right?"

He nodded slowly, "You keep using the past tense.."

I knew it probably wasn't the best thing in the world to keep hearing my repetition of the past tense, but there was no way getting around what needed to be said. "I never, ever had to ask myself if you'd ever turn your back on me because I knew you wouldn't. I had so much belief in you. I've told you all of this before. Our relationship was important to me, Jacob. _You_ were important to me. That's why it hurt me so much when I found out about you and Leah, because it felt like you were turning your back on our friendship. Before it even happened, you knew it would hurt me if I ever found out. And even if I never did find out, you were still willing to do it behind my back."

I grabbed the Java Monster apron on the side of the booth, tucking the rolled fabric under my arm as I stood up. "No matter how many times you tell me you're sorry, it can't change anything. I told you, I forgive you, but it wouldn't work out any differently the second time around, Jacob. Trust me. Billy was right, we're much better as friends." I placed my hand on his shoulder, but he didn't look my way. "Maybe now's not the best time for us to try and be friends, but someday, after all of this has blown past us, we will be. So, stop dragging Leah around in circles and just tell her straight. You either want her or you don't, there's no in between."

"Bella," Jacob finally turned his gaze towards mine, "Stay. Please? Just... talk to me a little longer. I miss this."

I shook my head slowly. "No, I can't."

"Okay then, at least let me take you home?"

Again, I shook my head. "Jacob, stop. I'm a big girl, okay? I can get from one place to another on my own, thanks."

I closed my eyes and sighed softly, turning on my heel towards the exit. It actually _did_ hurt to see how much my words had affected him, but there was no way to avoid the inevitable. I hated him for doing what he did, but I still cared about him and the closure was more than needed. I made a decision to put it in my past and keep my focus on going forward. He needed to do the same. And he would never stop taking so many steps back unless I told him firmly that it wasn't going to happen.

_We_ weren't going to happen.

What's done is done.

What's done is Jacob and Bella.

Put it in the past, and don't look back.

It's a clean break, so it would heal more easily, right? More quickly.

Just let us go, Jacob.

_I did_.

* * *

It took a little longer than I expected to get from the pizza parlor and then back to Edward's place. I didn't have a key, so tiredly, I knocked on his door and waited for him to answer. I knocked again after about a minute and then again another minute after that. Why wasn't he answering? I pulled out my cell phone and dialed his number, listening to ring after ring as I waited for his voice to come on the other line.

Nothing.

Weird. I groaned impatiently, wishing I had just called Alice right after work to take me home. It wasn't 7 so Edward couldn't have been at work, but there were various other places he could've been. He wasn't restricted to only going out when we went out together, so he could've very well been in California of all places if he wanted to be.

I wanted to curl up against Edward's chest and tell him all about what happened with Jacob. I knew he'd be appreciative of me making the effort to put it all out there. I wanted to hear about his day and what he did while I was gone. I wanted to know what he was thinking when he saw my text or if he had thought of me anytime during my absence. I wanted to steal his potato wedges and kiss the scar on the side of his forehead again like I had done the previous night. I wanted to tell him about Alice and how her and I were really starting to become good friends like she had predicted. I wanted him to hold me like he always did before I fell asleep. I wanted..

"Bella,"

I turned to look behind me and thanked whoever it was that had heard my silent wish list. Edward smiled warmly and wrapped me in his arms, tracing down my cheek and collarbone with butterfly kisses as he softly whispered, "Finally."

Ah, my dazzling Edward Cullen.

"Doesn't someone owe me a kiss?" Edward asked innocently, lifting my chin up.

I didn't need to be asked twice. My arms snaked around his neck and our lips met one another in a sweet and short kiss. I gave him another, like I had intended on doing.

"Mmmm, what a nice way to be greeted in the afternoon. I could get used to that." he chuckled, kissing just below my ear as he opened the door for me like a gentleman. "I stopped by your work at around 1 to see if you were off, but you were already gone."

"Yeah, you can blame Jacob for that." I groaned, plopping down on his couch. It felt so nice to lie down.

"Jacob?" his brow raised. "Don't tell me I need to punch his face again?"

"No. I set him straight. I told him about us."

Edward seemed amused by that and took a seat on the armrest beside my head. "Oh?"

"He was mad."

"Which is understandable," Edward chuckled. "I wish I was there to see the look on his face."

I groaned at the thought of Edward and Jacob being in the same room as I announced my good news. It'd most likely end up with them wrestling on the floor like before, so I couldn't help but sigh in relief that I had gotten it over with.

"Interesting that we both had run-ins with our... ex's today."

Did I hear that correctly? I sat myself up and stared at Edward curiously. "Wait, what?"

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily, running his fingers through his hair after. "Bella, I ran into Tanya today, of all people. And, surprisingly enough, she wants to meet you."

Ah, hell. Did I really need to say it? Say it with me, everyone.

Fuck. My. Life.

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_**  
End of Chapter Thirteen**_

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**Author's Notes:** FML, I love that phrase. HAHAHA. I'm sorry if some of you don't like curse words, but that's one of the reasons why I rated this M, for language purposes. Onto other things.. Hah! Take that, Jacob Black! Whoo! Oh, and why does Tanya want to meet Bella, you ask? I'm pretty sure it's obvious. So many of you said "Ahhh, does she REALLY have to be in this story? Can she just crawl in a hole?" etc etc, which made me laugh like crazy. I'm not too much of a Tanya fan myself, but she's needed in this story. Sadly. Sigh.

Sorry this chapter was little shorter than usual. I'm not exactly proud of this chapter, but that may just be because I'm exhausted. I've also got a headache and wanted to make sure I had this done because I'll be busy all day. Not to mention I've got homework! Gah!

Feedback, please? Reviews, por favor? It'd mean the world and more if you could include a little "Happy Birthday" somewhere in there, too!

Sorry to everyone who was looking forward to the next chapter of _**Your Healing Touch**_ coming out today. Life is biting me in the ass, hard. I promise I'll do my best to update and hopefully it will be a little easier since I've now got an official beta for that story. Another quick shout-out to Erica for helping me out with SO much. Love ya!

I'm going to finish up my homework and get me some shut-eye, so make me happy and leave me some loooove, please? Until next time,

--_Burrberry Bugsy  
_


	14. I Don't Like Your Girlfriend

**Author's Notes:** Oh, WOW. Wow, wow, **WOW**! Not only did I get loads and loads of birthday greets, but last chapter ended up with 108 reviews! Not only that, but we hit 700 reviews total! YAY. Thank you so much everybody! I never thought I could be lucky enough to get more than 100 reviews for one chapter but you guys proved me wrong. It was the best birthday present I could receive, so I'm absolutely, positively ecstatic! I think if you saw me on the streets, you'd run because of how excited I am.

No "special thanks to" section this time, because I would like to specially thank each and every single reviewer and every single person who wished me a happy birthday. You have all made me one happy and overly excited author and I can't express my gratitude enough. This chapter is dedicated to you all :)

I still need to find out who nominated me at the Lion and Lamb Awards. **PLEASE** tell me who you are! Oh, and for some reason, something's up with my e-mail account :( So, if any of you have sent me a PM or an e-mail in the last couple of days, I haven't read it yet. Sorry!

This is already a super long author's note, I know, but did anyone see the deleted kiss scene from Twilight on bellaandedward(dot)com?! OMG! Hot, hot, hot. You should go check it out!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight. It would be nice though, wouldn't it?

* * *

**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**I Don't Like Your Girlfriend**

_Summary: AU, all human. A college class has everyone pairing up as married couples for 28 days. But how hard would it be to focus on passing the class when you're paired up with your worst enemy's girlfriend? How much worse when you actually started to fall for her? ExB_

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**Edward Cullen**

The look on Bella's face once I had mentioned Tanya wanting to meet her was absolutely priceless and if it was any other time involving any other person besides her, I would have laughed. It came at me unexpectedly earlier on in the day when I had gone to the hospital to pick up my work badge that I had left behind. I needed it for my shift later. Kate had it safely tucked away in one of her drawers on her reception counter, so I made sure to give her my thanks when I went to get it.

After we had made small conversation, I figured I'd go get Bella from work. She mentioned working an early three-hour shift which should've already been over, so I pulled out my phone to give her a call.

"Edward?"

Oh, _hell_. Just my freaking luck. I'd know that high pitched sing-song voice anywhere. I should've known I couldn't avoid her forever. It was inevitable that I'd run into her again sometime, but I really wished it would have been a little longer until I had to come face to face with her. I lifted my eyes from my phone and plastered on my best smile in hopes the conversation would be short. "Hey, Tanya."

"Ah, Edward Cullen, it _is_ you!" she flashed her bright white smile at me and tossed her strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder while leaning in for an awkward hug. "I haven't spoken to you in a while. How have you been?"

I nodded and tucked my phone away, running my fingers through my hair to settle my nerves. The last time I had spoken to her, a high heeled shoe was thrown directly at my head and I was left with one hell of a nasty scar. And she wonders _why_ it's been a while since we've talked? "I've been good." It was a simple answer, one that I knew was the only one I could give that would leave me in one piece.

Tanya smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. "You _look_ good, though your hair is just as messy and unkempt as I remember. You should really go see what a stylist can do for you." She giggled and tilted her head slightly to get a look at my forehead, but my hair must have been in the way of what she was trying to see. "Oh, how I remember that last night we both shared, before we stopped.." she changed the subject, "Hmm, did I hurt you when I threw my purse at you? I sure hope I didn't."

I ran my fingers through my hair again purposely so she could get a good look at the damage she had caused because of her anger-towards-rejection issues. At least, that's what I was beginning to think it was. "It most definitely, was not your purse. It was actually your shoe, Tanya. Your _high heeled_ shoe."

"Oh, that's right," she rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. "The black Mary Jane pair of Manolos, right? At least it healed up nicely. I never got a chance to apologize, but I really am sorry for that."

"It's fine." This was enough of a conversation for me. I didn't say much, but there was nothing else needed to be said. I was done. "Well, Tanya, it was nice catching up with you, but I've got to get going. I'll see you around,"

"Wait just a second." she stood her ground and wouldn't let me pass. "You can't really call that catching up. How about you and I get some coffee from the cafeteria? I'm waiting on Kate's lunch break. You can tell me all about how you've been."

"I'd love to, but I was actually on my way to go pick up my girlfriend before we ran into each other."

"_Girlfriend_?" Tanya repeated, her brow raised.

Crap! Crap, crap, _crap_. My mind went into panic mode as I took a quick glance at the shoes on her feet. Okay, ballet flats. Those couldn't hurt too much if they were chucked at my head, right? Her purse seemed fairly large though, and that probably wouldn't be too pleasant to get smacked with. If she was mad enough, I'm sure she'd even throw one of the chairs lined up against the wall at me out of remorse. Hell hath no fury like Tanya Denali, that's for damn sure.

"Hold on a second! You have a girlfriend?" she asked in disbelief. "You've _got_ to be kidding me."

I could hear the venom in her voice as I braced myself for whatever she was ready to throw (literally) at me.

"Well, that's.._ nice_." she smiled and tossed her hair again. "Wow. So, you've finally met a girl who was able to get you to crack. Amazing. What's her name?"

"Bella Swan," I replied, wondering why it even mattered to her.

"Bella Swan, huh. She must be quite a catch then, I'm guessing? Lucky girl."

"I think _I'm_ actually the lucky one."

Her brow raised at me again and I don't know why I just didn't shut up and leave. It looked like Hell itself was burning beneath Tanya's stormy grey eyes and I realized it would've just been better if I hadn't had said anything at all. She was more than likely really ticked off now, so I was in desperate need of a quick getaway.

"Just curious though," she stopped me again. "how'd she do it?"

"How'd she do what?" I asked, confused on what she meant exactly.

"You know what I mean, Edward. I mean, how exactly did she convince you to be in a relationship with her? You always told me it was never the right time."

I gave her a crooked smile and shook my head slowly. "Well, first of all, she didn't try to convince me of anything. I have," I tried to pinpoint the word I was searching for. "_strong_ feelings for her. It just felt, right. To me, at least and I suppose she felt the same way."

Tanya's lips curved into a fake smile as she patted my arm. "Well, that's real.. sweet, Edward. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Tanya." I replied, tracing the outline of my phone in the pocket of my pants as I turned on heel towards the exit. "I'll see you around."

"You'll let me meet her sometime, right?"

I stopped dead in my tracks. "Sorry. I think I misheard you. What did you just say?"

She flashed her pearly whites at me again and fiddled with a lock of her strawberry blond hair. "I said, you'll let me meet her sometime. Right?" Her grey eyes shone with anticipation. "I want to meet the girl who was able to sweep Edward Cullen of his feet. She must be one _hell _of a girl."

I repeated the words to Bella after flashing the scenario back through my head.

"So, Tanya wants to meet me because..." Bella looked up at me her position on the couch. "I was able to snag you and she couldn't?"

My shoulders shrugged as I slid off the arm rest and onto the couch. Bella lifted her head quickly and put it back down to rest atop my knee once I was comfortable. "I guess you could say that."

"You're not actually going to make me befriend her, are you?" she asked in horror.

I chuckled and bent down a little to kiss the tip of her nose. "That would require me _actually_ talking to her again, which I'd much rather prefer not to do."

"Thank goodness," Bella sighed, pushing herself up. "Even _I'm_ a little intimidated from what you've told me about Tanya, and I don't even know her. I don't want her designer heels to come in contact with any part of my face."

"She has designer purses she could smack you with, too."

"Great," she groaned, standing up on her feet. "that's really what I want to hear, Edward, thanks."

I couldn't help but laugh as I followed her into my bedroom. "What are you doing?"

"My head hurts from all this talk of ex flames and whatnot, so I'm going to take a nap." Bella sighed, burying herself underneath the blankets of my bed. I stood where I was, wanting to join her, but unsure of whether or not it was an open invitation.

She peeked her head at me from where she was laying. "You can lie down if you want. It _is_ your room."

There was my invitation.

And who would I be to pass it up?

I crawled into bed and smiled when she snuggled against me, nudging my arms gently. I gladly wrapped them around her waist, letting the side of my face rest on the back of her shoulder blade.

"This is already helping my headache," she said softly, placing her hands on my arms.

"So tell me about your day then." I replied, moving my face a little so it rested on the crook of her neck. Our spooning position was quite comfortable to my surprise. I'd seen Emmett and Rosalie fall asleep on their couch this way several times, but it never looked too inviting. I was wrong.

Bella then told me about her day without me. She told me she called my sister to give her a ride to work because she didn't want to wake me up. I couldn't believe she was _actually_ getting along with Alice. They were like opposite sides of a magnet, which, apparently was not a problem for either of them. Bella retold the story of how Jacob had come to her work to "talk" and I couldn't help the slight jealousy that sparked inside of me when she mentioned him asking her to eat lunch with him. I couldn't help it. I just couldn't maintain my jealousy at all times. It was too exhausting.

That little amount of jealousy dissipated away as soon as she told me exactly what was said between the two of them. Maybe now he'd finally get a freaking hint!

"I'm telling you, Bella, if Jacob tries to make a move on you, I won't hesitate to give him another busted lip. Maybe even a black eye if he pisses me off enough." I hated ever having to resort to violence for anything, but when it came to Bella, I always felt a bit more on the protective side.

Bella wriggled underneath me and at first, I thought she was mad that I had said that. Before I could apologize, I realized she was now facing me with her arms draped loosely around my shoulders.

"You sure are a violent one. Maybe you need to take anger management classes."

"No, I just need Jacob Black to stay the hell away from my girlfriend."

She smiled and kissed me softly. "Girlfriend. I really like the sound of that."

"So do I. Though I like this more," I kissed her again, and three more quick times after that. Her giggles filled my ears as I moved to her shoulder and placed gentle pecks there over and over.

"I hope I never have to worry about Tanya trying to make a move on you. I've waited five years for you to say something to me." Her fingers wove their way into my hair and she played with it like I always did.

"You don't have to worry about Tanya." I murmured against her skin, pulling away to get a good look into her chocolate kissed eyes.

"Oh? How are you so sure?" she asked, raising a brow.

"I like _brunettes_."

My answer must have been exactly what she wanted to hear because after that, I was rewarded with kiss after kiss after kiss. I made a note to mention that more often. Bella and I ended up talking for hours in each other's arms instead of napping like we were originally supposed to do. Even though I would've preferred to stay with her in bed, she insisted on me eating something since I had to work and got out from underneath the covers.

I told her I wasn't too hungry so she just made me a sandwich with turkey and ham. Once we were both seated at the table together, we talked about what kind of crazy scheme Professor Peterson had up his sleeve next. Monday was the official two week mark of the assignment which meant he must have had some insane plot brewing in that head of his.

Bella guessed on reciting "wedding vows" in front of the class and I betted on posing for wedding photos in an actual dress and tux. I could've easily called Alice to see what he had her to do when she took the class, but we decided against it since the surprise was half the fun.

Eventually, I had to get ready for work so I showered and dressed myself in the light blue scrubs I was beginning to really dislike. I wanted a new color. Maybe a navy blue, or that really dark green I saw some of the nurses wear. I even saw maroon ones before. I clipped my badge onto my uniform and frowned when I saw Bella's pouty lips as I finished.

"What's the matter? Don't want me to leave?" I teased, rolling up the sleeves of the long sleeve I had on underneath.

"I'll be bored." she replied, flopping back on my bed. "What am I going to do tonight?"

I laughed and hovered above her face while crossing my arms. "Maybe get started on those chapters you have to have read by next week?"

She groaned in agony and slapped her hands over her face. "Oh, hell."

"You'll thank me." I handed her the book inside her book bag that was on the floor beside the bed. "But promise me you'll get some of it done, okay?"

She nodded while taking the book out of my hands and tossed it aside, following me to the door as I grabbed my car keys along the way.

"Since I'm working late, don't wait up for me tonight."

"I'll try not to," she teased, dusting imaginary dust off my scrubs. "Don't work too hard, alright?"

"I'll try not to." I repeated, chuckling softly as she swatted my arm jokingly. "Come here, Bella. Give me my goodbye kiss."

She smiled and circled her arms around my neck, closing the small distance left between us. I couldn't get enough of her soft, pillow-like lips. They were like my drug, my only addiction. And all of a sudden, I had absolutely no desire to work anymore. I wanted to carry her to my room like a caveman and kiss her over and over. I wanted to talk to her about anything that came into our heads and I wanted her to fall asleep in my arms. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours that we had been official, but it felt like so much longer. I said before that being with Bella was effortless, that it was the easiest thing I've ever had to do, and it was nothing short of the truth.

To my dismay, Bella pulled away, flushed and full of laughter as she pushed my all too willing lips away. Damn. "You're going to be late if you don't get a move on."

"Can I have a few more?" I laughed, pulling her back to me.

"One more."

"One? How about ten?"

"Edward!"

"Okay, okay." I groaned playfully, trying to think of a compromise we could both deal with. One was definitely not the number I was thinking, but obviously ten was a little much. "Five."

"Two."

No! More! "Four."

"Two!"

"Six," I laughed when she swatted my arm again.

"You know, that kind of defeats the whole purpose of trying to compromise! You're supposed to lower your expectations, and I'm supposed to higher mine a bit." she giggled, playing with my hair as she spoke.

"Fine," I gave in. "Three?"

"Two and a half."

I didn't know the hell you would "half" kiss someone, but I decided that was the best I was going to get. "Deal." I leaned in and pressed my lips against hers, moving them slowly as I molded her body closer to mine.

"That's one." Bella whispered against my lips, running her fingers through my hair.

I continued to move my lips in time with hers, "Two."

My hands glued themselves onto her hips and with the lightest touch, I gently brushed my tongue against her lower lip, feeling her respond immediately to what I had just done. Before it became something more, I pulled away and noticed her cheeks were a fresh shade of pink. It suited her so well. "You said two and a half."

She rolled her eyes with a laugh, realizing that that was my concept of a "half" kiss. I bet now she wished she had agreed to three instead. "You big tease."

"You're not going to throw a shoe at me are you?" I joked, remembering Tanya had said something along the same lines before.

"Get." she laughed and pointed to the door.

"Yes ma'am." I replied with a crooked grin, pulling her in for one more kiss before I walked out.

* * *

I never really liked working the later shifts. You'd figure that patients would be friendlier around the evening, but it was actually the complete opposite. They were wide awake at these hours, pressing the "call" buttons like crazy just to get some kind of humor out of pissing me off. An elderly woman once rang it over and over just to tell me she needed her foot scratched. Like she couldn't do it herself? I couldn't complain to anyone about it since they'd just get mad and tell me to have some respect. I _did_ have respect, I didn't snap at her like I should've for running like crazy to her room since I thought she was choking or having internal pains or something.

I finished up giving one of the patients their medications with a small paper cup filled with water. Once they swallowed it down, I walked out and pulled out my cell phone to get a look at the time. 10:27pm. I still had about an hour and a half. I walked over to the receptionist desk and saw Kate sitting there with her head down. Why was she still here?

"Kate?"

She lifted her head and smiled weakly. "Hey, Edward."

"I thought you were working the earlier shift. Why are you still here?"

"Monica needed me to cover for her. I told her I already worked today, but she said I was her last hope and that her son is ill. I couldn't say no."

"Sorry to hear that." I replied, patting her shoulder. "You're a good friend though."

"Thanks," Kate laughed, straightening herself up. "Did you need something?"

"I just wanted to know which rooms are free of patients right now. I'll start sterilizing the equipment."

"Hold on just a sec," she shuffled through some papers atop her desk. "Oh, so Tanya tells me you have a new girlfriend!"

Leave it to Tanya to blab about my personal life! Gossip at the hospital spread like wildfire, so I knew it'd only be a matter of time until Emmett found out about it. He'd probably have a million questions for me the next time we ran into each other. One of them was more than likely going to be questioning whether or not I'd slept with her yet. Great.

"That's good to hear, Edward. What's her name?"

"Isabella Swan. She's in my Anthropology class and we're partners for a marriage assignment."

"Isabella, huh? That's pretty." she mused. "That sounds like a lot of fun. I'd love to meet her sometime, if that's okay with you."

For some reason I didn't mind at all when Kate asked, but when Tanya pretty much demanded it of me, it was a whole different story. "Yeah. She's usually with me when I stop by to talk to Emmett. I'll introduce you two next time."

"I'd like that." Kate smiled, handing me a sheet of paper with the rooms and the patients who were in them. The empty ones had blank slots right next to them. "I don't know if I should tell you this, but Tanya seemed.. pretty upset when she found out about your new.." she paused. "About Isabella."

I groaned and knew exactly where this was going. Kate and I were good friends but Kate and Tanya were bound together by blood. Of course she was going to side her sister.

"I guess she still had high hopes for you and her. She had some strong feelings for you, you know."

"Kate," I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Tanya and I had an... _interesting_ sort of relationship. We were never really together, and _you _more than anyone should know the reason why."

"She's pushy." the both of us spoke in unison.

"Yes, exactly. Tanya was a little too much for me to handle. You know I got this scar from her shoe, right? She called me a tease and said she hated my guts."

"I know the whole story." she informed me, a small smile playing at her lips. "We tell each other everything, so there's no need to recount anything that happened between you two. Do you want to know what she told me after you left today?"

I didn't really want to hear anything else about Tanya, but Kate started speaking before I could even deny her.

"She's mad that this Isabella girl was able to get you to ask her to be your girlfriend. Tanya always complained that no matter what she did, you'd always tell her it wasn't the right time. She said you always acted like you liked her a lot but never went forward with your guys' relationship."

I groaned again. "Kate, do we really have to talk about this now? I understand Tanya is your sister, but come on."

"Alright, alright." she help up her hands in defense. "I'll tell you this though, Tanya has not gotten over you. She's not exactly happy that you have a girlfriend now and it's making her even more determined to make you see her the way you see Isabella."

"I'm going to get started on the rooms now." I muttered, walking away from the reception desk and completely ignoring Kate's last statement. I knew it wasn't Kate's fault at all that Tanya was that way, but I couldn't help but feel so goddamn frustrated. I didn't want Tanya to still have feelings for me. I didn't want her to dislike Bella. It was childish and immature of her to act that way, but I shouldn't have expected anything less.

This was just great. Jacob finally was out of the picture but insert Tanya and life is back to being complicated. I tried to push all thoughts of Tanya out of my head as I walked into an empty room and began to clean the equipment inside. I had about an hour left and then I could go home, sleep, and spend my weekend with Bella, without any worries about either of the ex flames.

* * *

I opened the front door as quietly as I could and placed my keys down gently atop the kitchen counter. My mind was tired and I was more than ready for some much needed sleep. I walked into my bedroom, surprised to see Bella sprawled across my bed with the book she was supposed to read underneath her. She had probably fallen asleep while reading it. I gently pried it out from under her and placed her bookmark inside so she could continue from where she started whenever she decided to read again.

I needed her to make room for me to sleep, so I lifted her a bit, shifting her body so she was aligned with the pillow at her head. Her cell phone was left in the middle of the bed, so I grabbed it and leaned over to put it on the nightstand as well. The screen flashed on when I plugged it into her charger and an unsent message was displayed on the screen, _I miss you already._

It was addressed to me but she never hit the send button. That would've made me smile like an idiot and I suddenly wondered why exactly she chose to not send it.

"Edward?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Go back to sleep," I cooed softly into her ear, pulling the top half of my work uniform off. I figured I could sleep in the bottom half of the scrubs I still had on. They were comfortable enough.

"Welcome back," she yawned, molding herself into my arms once I climbed into bed with her.

Her fingers traced the curves of my face, searching. I knew exactly what she wanted and I was more than happy to give her that. My mouth pressed onto hers softly, and then two more times after that. She sighed in contentment.

"Thanks." she whispered, nuzzling her face into my chest.

"Anytime."

Sleep overtook my body not even minutes later.

* * *

I felt all the weariness in my body float away, along with something that felt like kisses on my cheek and neck. I heard words being spoken but I couldn't get them to make any sense to me.

"Edward." I felt my body being shaken underneath their touch. "Wake up, sleepy head."

Time to get up? Wait, _why_? It was Saturday morning. I didn't have work and Bella didn't have work. Was it absolutely necessary to get up so early when we could've easily slept in? I tried to drown out her voice and find the comforting stage of sleep I was just in by shoving my pillow against my head.

"Oh, no you don't." she growled and before I could register what was going on, I felt her pounce onto my back and yank at the pillow I had on top of my face.

"Bella!" I groaned, too sleepy to fight back. "It's the weekend. Let me rest."

"I don't think so." she replied, successfully removing the pillow. "Alice just called and invited us to a beach get together with her, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie. We're meeting up at her place in half an hour, so you need to get a move on."

"I really don't want to spend my weekend having to deal with Emmett and his idiocy. Can't we just stay here?" It almost sounded like I was whining, but she wasn't going to have it, at all.

"Edward Anthony Cullen," Crap, she used my whole name. I knew I was probably in trouble and when I turned my head a bit to get a look into her eyes, she looked determined to prove her point. Eep. "It's beautiful outside and we are _not_ going to stay cooped up in this apartment writing essays or reading books. We're going to the beach with them and we're going to have a good time." Bella swatted my shoulders and I climbed out of bed with her still latched onto my back like a spider monkey to a tree. "To the bathroom."

I walked to the bathroom, tired and groggy, while heaving a sigh. "Do I get any kind of say in this at all?"

"No."

Damn. "Are you at least going to get off my back?"

"Yes. We're leaving in fifteen."

If I only didn't like her so much.. "Fine." I gave in and she hopped off.

"I told you you'd get payback for waking me up all those times." she smiled and I couldn't find it in me to be mad.

"Your payback is making me spend my day off with my meathead brother and overbearingly irritating sister?" I chuckled at her pouted lips, wrapping my arms around her waist. "I regret waking you up all those times, but at least I'll be there with you, right?"

"Right." Bella ran her fingers through my hair softly. "You should get into the shower now. Your hair looks like... a haystack. But, I like it."

I couldn't help the laugh that arose at her remark. "I'll _try_ to do something about it."

She smiled and tugged my face down to hers. "Oh yeah, and, good morning, Edward."

And there was my kiss to start off my day the right way.

Despite the somewhat rude awakening, it _was_ a good morning indeed.

I rushed through my morning shower and once I was finished, Bella and I packed everything we would need for the beach. Towels, sun screen, extra clothes, you name it and we packed it. We drove to Alice's, where everyone was already waiting for us. I knew Alice would've opened her big pixie mouth and by the time we were in the driveway, Emmett had me tackled to the ground, saying he was proud of me for god knows what. After about half an hour of arranging how our day would go and how to get there, we were on our way.

The drive to Alki Beach was a pleasant one, but that might've just been because I had Bella in the car to keep me company. We sang along to random songs on the radio, played the license plate game, and I even got socked softly a few times whenever she'd see a slug bug pass by. I didn't mind since she always said sorry and kissed the area she punched right after. Once we arrived at the beach, I had to admit they were right, it was much too nice of a day to pass up once we laid the towels and blankets out on the sand. The sun was shining and the weather was warmer than it had been in a while.

"This is great!" Alice squealed, jumping up and down once she finally realized her group gathering she had planned was finally in action. "Jazz, can you put the sun screen on for me, please? I really want to get in the water."

"Sure thing, darlin'. Come here then." Jasper replied, patting the towel beside him.

If I were someone else some kind of a distance away, I could probably see my sister's bathing suit from a mile away since it was so vibrant. It was a pink, orange, and white patterned halter bathing suit with a black tie in the middle of the bottom piece. She handed Jasper the bottle of lotion and he got to work, massaging the lotion into her shoulders so she wouldn't burn.

I looked over at Bella, who still had her t-shirt and shorts on. I laughed and nudged her lightly. "It was _your_ idea to come along. Why don't you go swim with Alice?"

She looked over at Alice and then back at me, nodding without a word. Bella got to her feet and stripped of her clothes, revealing her simple blue and white suit that had little ties in the middle of both the top and bottom pieces. It was a lovely color to compliment her skin tone and I felt my face flush just a bit when I realized this was the first time I had seen her in something so revealing. The man in me smiled like a giddy teenager when she came and sat in front of me. I tried to maintain my clean thoughts as much as possible. We made small conversation as I massaged the lotion into her shoulders and back, trying to ignore Alice who has huffing and puffing at me to hurry the hell up. Eventually I finished the job and Alice yanked Bella away towards the ocean. I groaned once she left, but knew that I'd get my time with her eventually. Patience, Edward, patience.

"Edward!" Emmett called, twisting a football in his hands. "Let's play!"

I looked over at Rosalie, who was now situated comfortably in a chair with big sunglasses to block the sun out and a magazine with cars on the front cover.

"You wanna play with us, Rose?"

She smiled over at me and pointed to her pink and white leopard bandeau printed two-piece. "I'm going to work on my tan, but thanks for the offer, Edward. Just make sure Emmett behaves."

I laughed and nodded, "Sure thing. If you want to join, feel free."

"Gotcha." Rosalie replied, turning her attention back to her car magazine.

I stripped of my black shirt and caught the football that Emmett tossed my way, nodding to Jasper as he nodded and began running. "Catch!"

Jasper leaped to catch the football, but Emmett came out of nowhere and stole it in midair, jumping around and hooting like a jock.

"Stop using your muscles to be so unfair!" Rosalie called from where she was sitting.

Emmett flashed a goofy grin. "Are you watching me play, baby? Will you cheer for me?"

She didn't answer and went back to reading her magazine, much to Emmett's dismay.

The day went on and I had to admit I was having a really good time. It had been a while since I had spent quality sibling time with Alice and Emmett, and it was a plus that all of us had significant others to bring along. The afternoon sun was blazing and I really wanted to get in the water already since it looked so refreshing. Bella came running to where I was seated, leaning down to kiss me quickly before she plopped down on the sand beside me.

"The water is great," she sang happily. "Aren't you gonna go in?"

I looked over at Rosalie and Emmett, smiling crookedly when I saw that they were walking towards the water with their surfboards in hand. One thing Emmett really liked about Rose was that she was into guy things, too. She definitely didn't look like a tomboy but she could sure act like one.

"They surf?" Bella asked incredulously, watching as they both hopped into the water.

"Not professionally, but just for fun, yeah." I saw the look in her eyes and I grinned. "You want to try?"

She looked back at me, eyes wide. "You're kidding right? I'll hurt myself."

"You always say that." I laughed once I stood up to dust off my swimming trunks. "Come on, I'll show you. We can borrow Jasper's board since he and Alice are a little busy trying to fly their kites." I offered my hand to her and she hesitated for a moment before she took it and stood up with me.

* * *

"Edward!"

I hunched over and laughed again for what felt to be the millionth time. Teaching Bella to stand up on a surfboard was really not the easiest task out there. Her lack of balance wasn't helping too much and every time she tried, she'd wobble and fall face first into the ocean. I couldn't help but laugh. I felt bad but it was so hilarious at the same time.

"Oh, ha ha laugh it up! Ocean, 3. Bella, zero." she huffed once she shot out of the water, shoving the surf board aside. "It's not funny."

I tried to catch my breath. "No, not at all. Not funny at all."

Bella surprised me by splashing me with water. "You could be a little more understanding about my jellyfish legs!" She kicked the water in front of her and it drenched my face and the front of my body.

Oh, no she didn't.

I shoved water back at her as she squeaked and tried to run away. She wasn't getting off that easy. I grabbed her from behind and tossed her over my shoulder, laughing at her squeals and her pounding her fists into my back as I walked further into the ocean. The water was at my chest now, which was deep enough to toss her without having to worry about her scraping her behind on broken pieces of seashells that were scattered about. So, that's exactly what I did. I tossed her.

Her head shot up from the water almost instantly and I laughed again. She said my hair looked like a hay stack earlier but she looked like a soggy mop. To my surprise, Bella didn't stand up and instead stayed exactly the way she was.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" I chuckled, walking over to her. "Come here. You forgive me?"

And then she squirted the water at me from her mouth like some kind of a fish would. I stood where I was, amazed at how much she began giggling. Did my face look_ that_ funny? An evil grin crept onto both of our faces and the water wars began.

After what felt like hours in the water with Bella, we finally got out and munched on the chips and snacks that Emmett and Rosalie had packed. They were, of course, Doritos.

"So, Bella," Rosalie hummed, taking a sip from her diet soda can. "I hear you and Edward are official."

Poor Bella almost choked on the raspberry iced tea she was drinking. If only she knew just how close all of us were. It was both a good thing and a bad thing. A good thing because that means the bond between us was strong and a bad thing because it means that none of us really got any privacy. "Rose, please, don't be like Alice."

"Hey!" Alice huffed. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It means you're a little blabber mouth, that's what." Emmett chuckled, dodging a rock Alice had thrown his way.

"It's okay, really!" Bella laughed, tucking her wet hair behind her ear. "But, yes, Rose. Edward and I are an official couple now."

"Congratulations!" Rosalie smiled at her. "Remember what I said, okay? Please,_ please _try to get Edward out of his shell. We've been trying to get him to open up for what seems like forever."

She ignored my demands for her to shut up and everyone else seemed to agree with her. Great. Just, fucking great. I buried my face into my hands in embarrassment and remembered why I wanted to avoid them for a while. I knew they'd ask Bella to get me to be more "open". So much for quality sibling time, it was more like "Put Edward in the most uncomfortable position you can" time.

* * *

Evening came faster than any of us had anticipated. We sat around the fire ring, dressed warmly now with sticks and marshmallows at the end of them. Nothing beat a good day at the beach like s'mores. Each couple was snuggled against each other and I was glad that for once, I didn't have to be the fifth wheel. Bella's head was on my shoulder and even though she smelt of seawater and sun block, I couldn't get enough of her.

"Did you have a good time?" she quietly asked me, twisting her stick around in the fire so it would roast evenly.

"Yes." I answered honestly. I kissed the top of her dampened head and smiled. "It was nice to hang out with all of them. I'm glad you get along with everybody."

"Me too." she agreed, smiling back at me. "I thought you'd be mad at first. Since I didn't really leave any kind of room for an argument."

I grabbed the box of graham crackers by my feet and a square of chocolate, lining them up evenly. Once I had that done, I stuck the marshmallow in between and pressed the remaining cracker on top, handing it to Bella. "Try it."

"You act like I've never had s'mores!" Bella laughed, but took a bite out of the snack anyway. She grinned in content, nodding her approval. "Mmmm, so good."

I sighed once I felt four pairs of eyes glued onto us, wishing I could have one moment with Bella without feeling like I was being watched like some kind of an interesting television show. Damn them. All four of them.

"So, Edward," Alice's tinkling voice flitted around in my ears. "Do you know what you're doing for the two-week mark?"

"Two week mark?" Emmett and Rosalie asked in unison.

"Yes, they're partners for Professor Peterson's assignment. The one I told you about?"

"Ah, the matchmaker, right?" Rose joked.

Alice nodded and turned back to us. "Well?"

"We don't really know." Bella answered, taking another bite out of the s'more I had made for her. "He doesn't tell us ahead of time what he has up his sleeve."

"Well, that's nice too, isn't it? It brings the thrill of surprise." Jasper said, draping his arm around Alice's shoulders. "I'm pretty sure you guys will enjoy it."

"Tell me more about this Professor Peterson and the assignment you guys are doing." Rosalie beamed, smoothing down her blonde hair. "It sounds interesting."

The rest of our time at Alki beach was Bella and I switching on and off with retelling the story of the marriage assignment to Emmett and Rosalie. Jasper and Alice didn't seem to be paying too much attention since they had already been through it.

We finally called it a day when the sun was completely gone from the sky. Everyone packed up their belongings and put the fire out, saying goodbyes and exchanging promises to get together for something like this again sometime soon.

"It was nice to hang out with you again, Bella!" Alice said, giving Bella a hug as Jasper loaded their stuff into the trunk of her yellow Porsche, waving goodbye as well. "I'm so glad Edward has you. Like Rose said, get him out of his shell, okay?"

Bella nodded meekly and laughed quietly, "I'll try my best to. See you, Alice."

Emmett and Rosalie were next to say goodbye to us. They were both talking quietly to Bella and judging by the flushed look on her face, I knew it had to have something totally embarrassing. Once they were done exchanging their parting greets, I gave her that look that asked what had happened. She smiled and shook her head, telling me through her eyes that I didn't have anything to worry about. I wasn't convinced until she pulled me in for a "take my breath away" type of kiss. I was definitely convinced after that. I'd believe anything she told me if I got to kiss her like that every time.

The drive back was a little different than earlier since I was tired and so was she. Her hand stayed laced with mine the whole way back as we talked about everything we liked and didn't like about the day. She was glad to be getting closer to my family since they were a huge part of who I was. She told me that she wished she had siblings so I could spend time with them like she did for me, but knew it wasn't a possibility anymore. And that was okay with me. I could try bonding with Charlie. Emmett and Alice were already a handful for me anyway.

"Thank you for coming along." Bella sighed, leaning back into the passenger seat. "I know I kind of forced you into it, but thank you for agreeing. I had so much fun today."

I brought her hand that I was still holding up to my lips to kiss her knuckles softly. "Thank _you_, Bella. I didn't expect to have this much fun, but it was a good break and I needed it."

She nodded and at that moment, my phone started ringing. I stared curiously, wondering who could be calling. Bella asked if she could answer it and I gave her the okay to do so.

"Hello?" she answered.

Silence.

More silence.

Even more silence.

I couldn't take it so I nudged her and tried asking who it was, but she really didn't seem to be paying attention to me at all.

"Uh huh, yes, this is Bella.." Bella trailed off, crossing her arms.

"Oh yeah? Really." she continued.

Her face faltered into an angry expression as she handed my phone back to me. I stared at it curiously and realized it was still in the process of a phone call. "Wait a second, why--"

"It's for you." Bella sighed, rubbing at her temples.

I held the phone closer to my ear while trying to focus on the road at the same time, "Hello?"

"Edward." It was that damn annoying, high-pitched voice again. Tanya. "I'm not going to pretend like I'm happy-go-lucky right now, because I'm not. I'm going to be very honest about something, alright? It has to be said." she took a deep breath. "That was Bella who just answered the phone right? Yeah, well, I don't like your girlfriend, Edward. I don't fucking like her. At all."

I looked over at Bella without a word, and Hell itself was burning beneath her eyes as well. This couldn't be good..

.

.

.

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_**  
End of Chapter Fourteen**_

* * *

_**  
**_  
**Author's Notes:** Beach day! Doesn't that sound like a whole lot of fun? I personally love the beach. Again, like I've said before, I live in California and I have never been to Seattle or even Washington. All I know is what I read about on Google, so cut me some slack if I mess a few things up here and there.

Yes, I know you'll all hate me for putting Tanya in this story but it had to be done. And yes, I'm making her into one of those bratty "I want to get my way" type of girls, but I'm for sure not going to make Bella into the pushover. I hate when she always thinks she's not good enough, so that's definitely NOT how I'm going to portray her in this story. Hopefully you'll all stick around. Drama will start to unfold, but I promise it will be a happy ending :)

Pictures of the girls' bathing suits, the beach they went to, the fire ring they sat around, and a simple banner of what I think the characters should look like are on my profile page if you guys are interested in getting a mental picture in your heads!

Next chapter should be out by Friday since I took so freaking long with this one. Sorry about that!

Questions? Concerns? Feedback? I'd love to get 108 reviews again for this chapter, or maybe even something along the lines of that, but if not, I'll be just as happy. Thank you again everyone for a wonderful birthday! Love you all! So, until next time then,

--_Burrberry Bugsy  
_


	15. Can't Stay Away

**Author's Notes:** Thank you everyone for continuing to bear with me on this journey that is Hello, Stranger. Didn't get anywhere near 108 reviews, but that's completely okay! I'm not writing this for the reviews, I'm writing it because it's my hobby and because you all continue to read and stick with me. Much love to you all!

I've decided to get rid of the "special thanks to" section since I've been getting some not so nice PMs from people saying I make them feel inferior when they're not mentioned. "Just because I didn't give you a long review, you don't mention me? Fucking whack." Yikes. I felt horrible, so I won't give any more specific shout outs. I do read every single review and they always make my day though. I promise! And, my e-mail's all good now, so since I won't be shouting out to anyone anymore, feel free to PM anything you feel like talking about. I like making friends, as lame as that sounds. LOL.

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.

* * *

**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Fifteen**

_**Can't Stay Away  
**_

* * *

*****  
**  
Bella Swan**  
**  
**

"Hello?" I answered, staring out at the scenery flying past the window.

There was silence before a voice uttered, "Wait. What the..? Did I dial the right number?"

I arched a brow.

"Okay, yeah. This _is_ the right number. So, who the hell..."

This was getting a bit annoying. I felt Edward nudge me but I didn't turn his way when the voice finally spoke again, "Oh, _wow_. I know who this is now. Interesting. This is, what was your name again, Bella, is it? Yeah, this is Bella, right?"

The attitude in her voice made me furrow my eyebrows in curiosity. "Uh huh, yes, this is Bella.."

"I called Edward's phone for a reason. I didn't expect to hear a woman answer." she sounded bitter.

"Oh yeah?" I was already getting irritated. Could it have been..?

"Uh, _yeah_." she mocked. "Invasion of privacy, I say. You know that's a bit rude."

"Really." I replied flatly. I knew who it was without even having to look at the caller ID. Already I didn't like her. I didn't like her at all. I wasn't too fond of her when I found out she chucked her shoe at Edward's face, but having her talk to me like I was committing a federal crime for answering MY boyfriend's phone, with permission, while he was driving was the final straw for me.

"If you don't mind, could you hand the phone to Edward? I called to talk to _him_, not you."

Without a word, I held the phone out to him. I didn't want to yell at her, I was too tired and had too much of a good time to spoil it by spewing curses through a cellular. I'd save it for another day if she continued to be so irritatingly persistent. He eyed it suspiciously while still maintaining eye contact with the road. "Wait a second. Why--"

I cut him off. "It's for you." Once he took the phone from me, I sighed and tried to massage my temples to soothe the aggravation coursing through my veins.

Tanya. It couldn't have been anyone else but her. She seemed like she'd be much more of a problem than Jacob and Leah combined. Freaking great..

Edward's eyes met mine, and I don't know how I must have looked, but it must not have been good. I averted my gaze back to the window when he spoke into the phone, doing my best to replay the wonderful day I had in my head to calm myself down. Think of the ocean, sitting around the fire, the s'mores, the weather, and Edward in nothing but swimming trunks. It was working, I was calming down.

"Tanya, now is not such a good time. I'm on the road." Edward paused. "Well, I'm driving. Bella did me a favor by answering my phone.. Huh? No, I'm not working tomorrow."

I wanted to turn the radio up so Tanya could get a hint. Maybe if she heard the music blasting, she'd remember that she had already had her shot with Edward and blew it. No way in hell would she get a second chance if I had any kind of say in it. Girly Bella, step aside. _Girlfriend_ Bella is taking over.

Edward sighed and stepped on the gas a little bit, and I was suddenly glad we were on a straightaway. "I don't really want to talk about this now. Some other time, alright? I'm hanging up now, goodbye Tanya."

I was still staring out the window when I felt Edward's hand on top of mine again. My head calmed a little more as our fingers twined together.

"I'm sorry about that, Bella." he apologized heartedly, stroking the top of my hand with his thumb. "What exactly did she say to you?"

I smiled at him and shook my head. He didn't need to worry about it. I didn't want Edward telling Tanya to back off for my sake. If she was going to try and step in, I could handle it all my own. "Nothing, really. I just didn't appreciate her talking to me with such attitude just for answering your phone."

"You're sure?"

"Yes." I replied, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Don't worry. I am not worried about Tanya at all. Because you said yourself," I kissed the spot on his neck right under his ear before I whispered, "you like brunettes, right?"

That little action made Edward swerve just a bit on the straight road ahead of us and I couldn't help but laugh as I leaned back into my seat. I'm sure his family must have caught a glimpse of that since they were following behind us, and I swear I could almost hear their snickers as Edward cleared his throat and tried to act as if nothing ever happened. Was that his face, flushed? Edward Cullen, _flushed_! Oh, hell yeah. I'm good!

Reminder to self, Edward's weak spot is his neck and he apparently has a thing for me whispering sweet nothings into his ear.

Not too shabby, Girlfriend Bella. Not too shabby at all.

* * *

I finally got to pick up my beloved truck on Sunday, much to Edward's dismay. He looked at it as though he felt sorry for it, _pitied_ it even. The nerve! Just for that, I told him we'd be using my truck as means of transportation all week. We'd use it to get to school, to go out together, and drop each other off at work. I didn't care for his puppy dog face when he pleaded we use his Volvo because my mind was set.

Monday came along quicker than we both anticipated. I rolled up the windows and hopped out of the driver's side, seeing Edward's not so happy face as he climbed out of the passenger's seat.

"Oh, come on, Edward. It wasn't _that_ bad, right?" I tried to get him to smile, leaning into him as we walked towards our class on the second floor.

"Bella, there were bicyclists passing us up on the streets." Edward said lowly, shaking his head in disapproval. "They weren't even breathing hard, do you know that? That means they weren't trying. That means people on _bikes_ were traveling faster than we were. I've never felt so understanding of tortoises until just now."

"My baby does _not_ fall into the same category as a tortoise." I snapped, crossing my arms.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say tortoises. I actually meant snails."

"Edward!"

"Bellaaa." he mocked, giving me that crooked grin of his I had learned to like so much.

I wanted to be mad that he compared my darling truck to a freaking snail of all things, but once he gave me a quick kiss before walking into class, all my anger melted away and I cursed him for being so dazzling. As we walked to our usual seats a few rows up, I noticed everyone seemed to be a bit antsy, which confused me a bit until I remembered today marked the two-week period. Professor Peterson definitely must have had something up his sleeve. His first week wedding veils and garters were beyond embarrassing, so I hoped whatever we were going to do this week would spare my ego from being destroyed like last week.

Everyone continued to shuffle into the classroom, grabbing seat after seat as the minutes went by. Finally, Professor Peterson entered and put his briefcase down on the table beside the door. He didn't have a big box with him, so something that dealt with props wasn't on the agenda this week. He just stood at the podium in front of the class, sighing softly before he finally spoke. "Well, class. It's been two weeks. Can you believe how fast time is going? You're halfway through with the assignment. You should all give yourselves a pat on the back." He smiled at us before continuing, "Now, you all know that with every week comes a new twist for the assignment. Are you all ready to hear what I have in store this week?"

The class responded differently. Some people said things like "Bring it on, I'm up for anything" and others groaned and complained about the embarrassment the veils and garters had caused, not wanting to have to do anything like that ever again.

Professor Peterson stepped in front of the podium and paced slowly back and forth. "Don't worry, everyone. Regardless of this week being more of a challenge to handle than last, I can assure you all won't be doing anything embarrassing."

Everyone sighed in relief, including Edward and myself. The last thing I wanted was to be looked at again as if I were some crazy girl who just got hitched for the hell of it. Since he claimed it wouldn't be anything embarrassing, it made me wonder just what it was he had planned for us all.

"I said in the beginning that a daily log of the trials and tribulations you'd face was recommended, but not required. Consider this one of the tribulations I mentioned." Professor Peterson stopped pacing the front of the room and turned to us all. "You have all been living with each other for the past fourteen days. Underneath the same roof, spending hours upon hours together. Remember that this is an assignment I relate to real life situations. And in real life when you're married to someone, at one point or another, you'll face problems."

I didn't know if I was the only one confused by what he was trying to say, but once I looked over at Edward, he had the same look of perplexity smacked across his face, so I knew he was in the same boat as I was.

"Problems that can lead to bigger problems. It starts off with a fight, hurtful words are tossed each way, and before you know it, one of you is walking out on the other even though you promised in front of all your friends and family to 'be together for better or for worse' in your vows. Marriage is not easy. Many of you have already realized that simply by being bound to your partner for a measly two weeks. That really is nothing, and if you cannot handle that, don't for one second think you are ready for any kind of commitment."

His brows creased as he took his glasses off, wiping them with the hem of his shirt. "This week, you are to stay away from your partner. Go back to being on your own until our next class meeting on Wednesday. You are not to see or call one another, or have any form of contact at all until this is discussed at our next class meeting. This will teach you to understand how it would be to fight and be separated from your significant other in the future. For some of you, it will be very easy to walk out of that person's life, even if it is briefly. Some of you will find it very difficult to shut them out. It all depends on the bond you've established these past two weeks."

Edward and I looked questioningly at each other, wondering what exactly he meant by "stay away". Were we not even allowed within a reasonable distance from each other?

"Remember what I said. I can tell if information is falsified. Starting now, you and your assigned partner are not to speak to each other at all. Get away from them as soon as class ends. Don't forget to include this in a section of your essay."

I blinked in astonishment. Professor Peterson _was_ serious about this twist in the assignment. He wasn't his usual happy self once he brought it up so he wasn't joking in the slightest when he said we weren't going to be able to talk to each other until Wednesday. I wanted to tell Edward I'd miss him, even though it'd only be two days, but already I would get in trouble and I didn't want that.

He must have been thinking the exact thoughts I was because we both heaved a sigh at the same time. It was going to be a long two days..

* * *

We walked to the lot in silence, never uttering even a single word to each other. As much as I wanted to talk to him, I wanted to experience this part of the assignment to the fullest extent I could, and I knew Edward felt the exact same way. Professor Peterson was doing all this for a reason, which was to prepare us for the reality of commitment when it came our way.

Edward got into my truck once I started it, and we headed back to his apartment. Once we got there, he climbed out and looked at me briefly, sighing as he ran his fingers through his hair. _Don't say anything to me, Edward_. I pleaded in my head. _It's only an assignment. I'll be back on Wednesday_.

I did the only thing I could without breaking the rules. I smiled at him and blew a kiss his way, hoping he'd know that the two days would just fly by. It worked and my favorite crooked grin was back on his face as he took the kiss and put it in his pocket. It was _our_ thing, it always would be. I made sure to remember to thank Esme for coming up with it the next time I saw her.

He waved at me once I started backing up to leave, even though I didn't want to. His silhouette became more and more distant in my rear view mirror as I drove off, my fingers absentmindedly going towards the knob of my radio to get my mind elsewhere.

The two days starts now.

You've got this, Bella.

* * *

"So, he does the same things every year, I guess." Alice took a sip of the iced chai latte I had brought for her. She said she liked the way I made it and it was her new favorite place to get them.

"Did you and Jasper have to be separated at one point during the assignment?" I asked, trying to drown out the excited squeals of the kids on the trampolines a few feet away. Being alone at home was no fun at all, so I decided to pay Alice a visit at work. When I called and asked if it was alright, she was more than excited for me to stop by since she said she was really bored.

"Yeah. We were separated at the two-week mark, too." she replied, cringing at the memory. "I cracked. I hate to say it, but I did. I couldn't stand not talking to him. It drove me crazy! So I just drove over to his place and waited until I could talk to him. I didn't have my cell phone and I didn't want to wake his roommate, so I just stayed outside his door."

"Did you get to talk to him?" I asked, leaning against the counter.

She laughed. "Well, I sat out there for an hour, I think, just waiting until I could try and talk to him. He was really into the assignment and took it seriously when Professor Peterson said to avoid talking to one another. After sitting there for so long, I finally decided to just go home. My butt was asleep, too."

I took a sip of the hazelnut hot chocolate I made for myself before asking, "Did he know that you were out there?"

"Yes, he found out I was there." Alice smiled at the memory and took another sip from her drink. "Turns out the reason why I never got to talk to him at his place was because he was waiting for me at mine."

"Really?"

She nodded and swooned lovingly. I couldn't help the laugh that erupted from me as she huffed jokingly and swatted my arm. "Hey! It was sweet, okay? He told me he missed hearing my laugh and being around me, even though it wasn't even that long at all. We spent the whole night talking to each other."

"Did you get in trouble?"

She shrugged at the question. "I can't remember exactly. It was a while ago."

"So, you remember all the cute details but not the important ones?" I sighed.

"Hey, the cute details _are_ important, Bella!" Alice laughed, putting her head down on the counter we were both leaning against. "So, do you think you'll crack? Or are you both strong-willed enough to stay away?"

I hummed in thought and tried to think of an honest answer I could give her. Once I realized I didn't _have_ an honest answer, I just shrugged. As much as I wanted to see him and talk to him, I wasn't going to. It was only two days to deal with and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do this.

I stayed at Sky High to keep Alice company until her shift ended at 8pm. We grabbed something to eat and talked a little more over our late dinner. She told me more about her and Jasper and even mentioned some useful bits of information about Tanya. Obviously, she wasn't over Edward, but Alice told me not to worry about it.

She said if she knew Edward, he would never be the one to be unfaithful and what I really needed to be concerned about was Tanya and her supposed manipulative ways.

After the phone call incident, I'd already made a definite note in my head to make sure Tanya stayed the hell away from my boyfriend. It'd be a different story if her and Edward were actually friends, but it seemed he wanted her to stay away from him just as much as I did. That was enough of a reason for me to feel comfortable with disliking her around him.

I made it home around 9:30 after Alice and I said our goodbyes at the restaurant. It looked the way I remembered it, the way I last left it. It felt so different from being at Edward's apartment. I walked over to the answering machine and saw a big, red zero flashing at me.

He hadn't called.

Of course he wouldn't. It had only been a few hours, for goodness sakes. I decided to just brush my teeth and head to bed early. I didn't have anyone to talk to until the late hours of the night until Wednesday anyway. I couldn't even read the remaining parts of my English assignment since my book was at Edward's. The only other option I had was to sleep.

I climbed into my bed and sighed when the warmth of his body I had grown so used to wasn't beside me. In an attempt to make myself comfortable, I grabbed a pillow and hugged it the way I'd hug Edward around this time every night. There was no comparison at all. I grumbled and pushed it aside, lying flat on my back again as I stared up at the ceiling.

It made me wonder what he was doing. Was he sleeping like a baby or was he thinking about me, missing me like I was missing him? I flipped over on my side and looked at my cell phone. _Nothing_. Was I really the only one feeling so lonely?

Goodness, Bella, it's only been a few hours. Suck it up! Sergeant Bella was screaming in my head and trying to get rid of Girly Bella and Girlfriend Bella who both seemed to be working together now. Sergeant Bella wasn't doing such a good job.

Suddenly very aggravated at all the Bella's fighting for dominance in my head, I jumped out of bed, and went into the kitchen to get myself a glass of water. I pressed the button on the refrigerator and held the cup there as it filled to the top with filtered water. My eyes wandered to the answering machine and still saw the big red mocking zero.

"Dammit, it's only two days. You can do this, Bella." I growled to myself aloud, taking my glass in my hand to go back to my room. I stopped when I saw an article of clothing draped over the armrest of the sofa, silently hoping it was what I was thinking it to be.

It was.

I took Edward's sapphire blue shirt in my hands and held it up to my nose, smelling that unnameable scent that I couldn't quite describe. It was alluring, wonderful, but didn't smell like cologne. It just smelled like... _Edward_. I took the shirt and the glass of water back with me to my room, climbing into bed once again. I tossed his shirt onto the pillow, holding it to my body once again.

Much better.

I smiled as I remembered the last time he had worn it. It was when we had gone to Ben's party together. It was the night Edward had punched Jacob's face in because he was bad mouthing me behind my back. It was the night I had taken care of drunk, adorable Edward, and most of all, it was the night of our first kiss.

Ah, his kisses.

_Damn_, I missed him.

I held the pillow closer to me, burying my face against its softness. It wasn't nearly as good as having Edward actually there, but it was the best I could do. Just when I felt my mind begin to wander off to sleep, the screen of my phone lit up and vibrated noisily on top of my desk. I flipped my phone open without bothering to look at who the text message was from. No one texted me anyway. It was probably Alice. Maybe she wanted to go shopping or catch lunch tomorrow?

_I'm breaking a rule, I know. Just wanted to let you know, I miss you as you read this. Sleep well tonight._

Oh, gosh. Now I know how Alice felt when she saw Jasper waiting at her front door. The cute details _are_ important. Sorry Sergeant Bella, you failed tonight. My fingers pressed the keys of my phone and I made sure that would be the last time I'd slip.

_You're not the only one breaking a rule. I miss you, too. A lot. Can't wait until Wednesday._

I hit send, sighing as I put my phone back on the desk with a lazy smile on my face. I had it _so_ bad for him. So much more than I ever thought I would.

* * *

I woke up to the sun shining in my room and when I looked over at the clock, it read 8:20am. I didn't get woken up like I usually did. There was no stack of banana pancakes in front of me or anyone to give me my good morning kiss, though I really didn't want it from anyone else except Edward.

Tomorrow, I kept telling myself. Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow.

I showered and got ready for class, grabbing the Java Monster apron as I headed out. It was the one thing I remembered to grab before we left yesterday since I thought I'd be working. Turns out they didn't need me, and instead I had to work today from noon until 6. It's not like I minded. I didn't have anything to do anyway.

English went by just as slow as it ever did. I loved English, but we never talked about anything interesting to me. All we ever did was read, write essays, and talk about what happened in the chapters he assigned us. How fun, right?

I was actually glad when noon rolled along. Maybe working would get my mind off of tomorrow and let the day fly by faster for my sake. Customer after customer kept coming in and my coworkers and I just kept ourselves busy making all the drinks.

It wasn't until two men in medical scrubs came in that my heart felt like it was about to leap out of my chest. I rushed to the register, saying I could take their order and make their drinks as well. Emmett and Edward. I was surprised Edward had gotten him away from the stupid vending machine.

"What can I get for you two today?" I asked casually, trying to hide the goofy grin that wanted to come out as I watched Edward run his fingers through his hair like he always did.

"I want.." Emmett hummed in thought as he read the menu. "Ooh, that looks good. I'll take a large cookie JavaKula."

"Whipped cream on top?"

"Yes. And drizzled with lots of chocolate syrup, if you don't mind, Bells?" he sang sweetly.

I laughed quietly and scribbled it down on the side of the cup. "And for you?" I turned towards Edward, still trying to keep Girly Bella and Girlfriend Bella on a leash so they wouldn't get out of control.

"A medium Bella Swan cappuccino for me." Edward replied as Emmett jabbed him in the gut.

"Whoa, no way! Bella has a drink named after her? That's awesome! Where is it? I don't see it on the menu?"

"Some people just _call_ it that, Emmett. It's not an actual drink on the menu." I giggled, getting started on their drinks. "If they ask for a Bella Swan cappuccino, I put my own little twists into it. You have to try it sometime."

Emmett and Edward made small talk as I continued to throw their drinks together. I wanted to talk to Edward, ask him if he got my text, but I stayed right where I was. I could have all the time in the world to talk to him tomorrow. Just focus on the assignment, I told myself.

"Here you go," I said, placing both the drinks on top of the counter. "One large cookie JavaKula with extra syrup and one medium Bella Swan cappuccino."

Emmett grabbed his drink eagerly and took a sip, grinning like a child once he swallowed it down. "Jeez, Bella, this is awesome! Now I know why Edward insisted on us driving all the way here. How much do I owe you?"

I shook my head. "Nothing at all. It's on me."

"Alright! Thanks, Bells!"

I turned towards Edward, grimacing once he placed a five dollar bill into the tip jar. "No, take it back. I told you, it's on me."

Edward smiled at me. Damn that crooked grin of his! "It's for you. See you later, Bella."

All too soon, they both left and I sagged my shoulders in defeat. I really wanted to talk to him. No, actually, I wanted to throw my arms around him and hold him because I missed it so much already. It wasn't fair. He seemed to be fine. He didn't seem to be suffering too much at all.

I grabbed the five dollar bill out of the tip jar and my brows furrowed at it once I got a good look at what was written on the back. _Breaking another rule because I had to see you, even if it was only to watch you make us drinks. Miss you_. The smile I had been trying to fight back won the battle and I giggled at his creativity.

Was it illegal to write on U.S. currency? I honestly didn't care and made sure to keep that bill tucked safely away in my wallet, where no one would touch it or even think of spending it.

* * *

To my surprise, Angela had stopped by Java Monster and asked if I wanted to eat dinner with her to catch up. She was more than happy when I told her Edward and I were finally official. I told her about the first date he took me on, the way he asked, and every other detail she had asked for.

When I was finally done, it was her turn. She told me how things went at Ben's party after we left and even mentioned their anniversary was coming up! Angela asked for any idea on an anniversary present but I couldn't think of anything. Shopping was not my forte, at all. Maybe I should have given her Alice's number. When Angela jokingly mentioned accompanying her to find some sexy lingerie for their special night, that's where I had to call it a night.

Even though I was 21 years old and very well aware of what went on with couples behind closed doors, I did not want to imagine one of my closest friends in some Victoria's Secret get-up or even Ben's face as she showed him the outfit. I shuddered at the very thought of it and Angela only laughed. Around 8, we finally said our goodbyes and made arrangements to hang out sometime soon. I was alone again once I stepped inside of my apartment. I threw my apron onto the couch and sprawled myself lazily on top of it, turning the TV on. Nothing interesting seemed to be playing. Why couldn't I find things to keep myself busy? Just two weeks ago I had a life of my own, and now it felt like nothing seemed its best anymore without Edward by my side to enjoy it with me.

It made me sort of frustrated with myself.

I had known the guy for two weeks. I had been his girlfriend for a measly five days, and I already felt like this? Was this a bad sign?

_Shut your trap, Isabella Marie Swan_! Eeep, Sergeant Bella is back with a vengeance. _What did Edward say, hmm? That you can't put a time limit on your emotions. The heart wants what the heart wants. You didn't go looking for this. It found you. That's why it's called falling because you don't mean to, you just do._

I closed my eyes and sighed in relief. Thank you, Sergeant Bella. I really needed that.

And that's when I sprang up off the couch.

I didn't want to wait until tomorrow anymore.

I couldn't take it, couldn't stand another minute in my lonely apartment without him there to hold me the way I was so used to now. All I needed was five minutes with him. Five minutes to remember the feeling of his lips on mine. Five minutes to retrace the curves of his body and the indents of his face. I grabbed my car keys off the counter and pulled my shoes on clumsily as I headed to the door. Where would I head first? Was he still working at the hospital or should I check his apartment first?

Oh, whatever!

Without a second to spare, I yanked it open and nearly fainted at who was on the other side.

_Edward_.

There he was, standing right in front of me in his light blue medical scrubs he was beginning to hate. Standing right in front of me, panting and out of breath as if he had just sprinted from the hospital to my apartment. I wanted to hug him, kiss him, tell him I wasn't strong enough to stay away from him for even a day. I didn't care about how long I had known him, how long we were together, or any of that.

All I knew was that I had feelings for the man standing in front of me - strong, deep, _real_ feelings that I couldn't contain as I threw myself into his waiting embrace, locking my arms tightly around his neck. "Why was it so hard? It was only a day.." I muttered against his chest, feeling like everything was right again.

"I was going to ask you the same thing." he murmured into my hair. "I ended my shift early to come here. I think I might have even ran a red light in my haste to get here as quick as I could. That's how hard it was for me. Can you believe that? It's almost pathetic how much I've been missing you."

No, not pathetic at all. I knew exactly how he felt. And it warmed my heart to know I wasn't the only one feeling like that.

Edward cradled my face between his hands, locking his emerald green eyes with mine. "I am not going to falsify this in my essay. I'm going to confess to Professor Peterson that I couldn't do it, that I was tired of trying to stay away from you." His lips were so close to mine and I wanted so badly to just lean in those few more inches so I could kiss him like I'd been wanting to.

"Edward," I didn't want to sound like I was begging, but dammit, I really, _really_ wanted to kiss him.

"I'm breaking all the rules now, Bella."

He finally closed the distance between us and I sighed in contentment. _Finally_. The evening air was finally beginning to make its presence known as I shivered against him slightly. Catching that, Edward broke away quickly and pulled the door shut, locking it as well so no crazy burglars could have any chance to take my personal belongings while I was... errm, occupied. Not like I had anything worth stealing anyway.

I attacked his lips again before he could say anything. We could talk later, because right now, all I wanted were his lips against mine. I hated sounding like some sort of a hormonal-driven teenager, but you take one look at Edward Cullen and tell me you don't feel the same.

_Exactly_.

Edward lost his footing on our way to my room, collapsing to the floor and me on top of him right after. He grunted softly once his back made contact with the carpeted floor, but that didn't stop his lips from moving against mine just as feverishly as they had been when we were standing.

My hair fell over my shoulder, concealing our faces in a curtain of brunette locks. His fingers moved to the back of my neck where he gripped my hair with the softest grasp, running his tongue along my bottom lip which made my stomach flutter all about with butterflies. I made use of my hands and let them roam all over the well-defined planes of his chest that I could still feel even through the material of his hospital scrubs. They traveled up to his shoulders and then to his neck where I felt his erratic pulse beneath my fingers.

His heart was beating just as fast as mine.

For once, _I_ wanted to be the bold one and do something he wasn't expecting. I left his mouth and kissed his cheek softly, leaving a trail of kisses until I was at his sensitive spot below his ear. I kissed him there with the lightest touch, weaving my fingers through his hair as his hands firmly gripped my hips.

"Bella.." he murmured quietly.

I didn't answer him and instead closed my lips around the spot I had been kissing, suckling the skin into my mouth as softly as I could while running my hands over his chest.

Edward's grip on my hips tightened as he turned his head to the side to grant me more access. A soft hiss escaped his lips, "Bella."

I continued what I was doing, using my teeth just a little bit so the mark I was trying to leave would stay. I heard him breathe in through his nose and to my dismay, he stopped me.

_Crap_. I scolded myself internally for getting so carried away. "I'm sorry Edward, I--"

"No." He shook his head and caressed my face softly. "I stopped you for _your_ sake. Bella, you have to understand that I'm a man, and things like that will only egg me on to do other... things."

I felt a blush stain my cheeks as I realized what he was trying to say.

"It was, amazing. And it felt wonderful, don't get me wrong, but I could never forgive myself if I rushed you into doing something you might regret." He pulled my face down and kissed me softly. "One day, if you trust me enough, and if you're ready, then we'll talk."

I could do nothing but nod in agreement, wondering what had come over me. Edward was such a gentleman. I don't know how my actions must have affected him, but it was shocking that he actually stopped me because he didn't trust _his_ self control. I'll admit, Jacob and I had our fair share of heavy make out sessions, but regardless of how much I trusted him, I couldn't ever even think about doing _that_ with him. He would ask, but I always denied him.

_Get a hold of yourself, Bella. You're not a teenager anymore, so stop acting like one_! Eeep! Yes ma'am! Sergeant Bella was mad again.

Edward sat up and even though I protested him doing so, he carried me into my room and laid me gently on the bed. I don't know how many hours we just laid there next to each other, talking about anything and everything that came into our heads.

He eventually noticed the pillow and his shirt thrown over it, raising a brow which made me feel just a bit embarrassed. "Is this supposed to be me?"

"No," I told him honestly. "it's just that I couldn't sleep because I was so used to you being right next to me. So, I held the pillow while I was sleeping and threw your shirt over it because it smelled like you."

He chuckled and pulled me against his body, playing with a lock of my hair. "You really _did_ miss me, didn't you?"

"Did you think I was lying?" I asked, staring at him incredulously.

"No, not at all." he replied. "It's just nice to know, that's all."

We continued to talk for countless hours after that. It reminded me of times I'd have sleepovers with friends years ago and how we'd gossip for hours about the silliest things. Edward and I weren't gossiping though, just talking about this and that. Our topics kept jumping from one to another and I could care less. All I cared about was that he was next to me.

Eventually around midnight, I began to get a bit tired as Edward lazily traced random patterns with his fingers on my lower back. "Go to sleep."

"_You_ go to sleep." I sleepily argued, yawning as he chuckled softly.

"Sleep, my Bella. For me?"

Did he just say "_my_ Bella"? Oh, wow. Even Sergeant Bella had to swoon at that. "Hmm, alright. For you, then. Good night, Edward." I smiled and kissed him one last time, glad that I didn't have to fall asleep alone this time.

* * *

I remember just yesterday I got to sleep in since Edward wasn't right beside me to wake me up in the horridly early hours of the morning. I also remember actually _missing_ him waking me up and then I realized just how foolish that was.

"Bella?"

Dammit. I knew it was early. I didn't even have to look at the clock to know it was early because the sun wasn't even out yet. Freaking great! Edward just had this uncanny need to wake up while every other normal person was still sleeping. Why? I don't know. I wish I knew so I could tell him to stop.

"Bella."

He began tugging at the covers I held firmly atop my body, and this time I wanted to laugh in his face. I don't think so, Edward Cullen! You are not going to win this blanket tug-of-war, not this time. As he tugged on one end, I rolled myself to the other side, making myself look like a blanket eggroll. Now he couldn't tug at it anymore because if he did, the blanket would unravel around me and I'd end up falling to the floor. I don't think my boyfriend would do such a thing.

It wasn't until I felt my butt crash onto the floor beneath me that I realized I was very, very wrong. My boyfriend WOULD do such a thing. My eyes snapped open and I huffed angrily, "Edward! That's not the best way to wake someone up, you know!"

"I know." he agreed, helping me to my feet. "You need to get dressed. And hurry."

"Ummm!" I angrily played dumb, pointing to the window. "The sky is still black. That's nature's way of telling us we should go back to sleep!"

I looked over at the clock and almost threw it at his head. As much as I adored Edward, this was _much_ too early for my liking. Too early for anyone's liking, for goodness sakes! "4:12. Are you _kidding_ me, Edward?" I grabbed the blanket off the ground and wrapped it around myself as I jumped back into bed.

"Oh, Bella I was really hoping you wouldn't be difficult." Edward chuckled softly, grabbing me off the bed as he led me to the sink. He grabbed my pink and white toothbrush, squeezed toothpaste onto it, and held it to me. "Brush."

"Edward!" I complained before he put the toothbrush in my mouth.

"Do I have to brush them for you, or can you handle it, _Isabella_?"

Bah! He used my full first name, which meant he was serious about whatever it was. I groaned in defeat and brushed my teeth like he kept insisting me to.

He smiled in approval and kissed the top of my head, "Thank you. Now hurry up or we're going to miss it."

I made a snooty face at him, but he ignored it and handed me a pair of yoga pants, a long sleeve, a jacket, and the scarf Alice bought for me when Edward and I went on our first date. "When you're done, put these on, okay?"

I didn't know where we were going or why he kept telling me to hurry, but he eventually dragged me to his car and sped off before I could ask. Edward had this sneaky grin on his face and I knew he must have had something up his sleeve, but I just couldn't figure out what. I was hoping he would take me to Table 219 so I could grub on some yummy French toast, but we drove past it, making me sigh in disappointment. No French toast for me.

After a seemingly quick twenty minute drive, he pulled up to a small parking lot where two other cars I recognized were. "Your family's here?"

He nodded quickly and held my hand in his as we made our way down the rocky path. Apparently, we were somewhere called Seacrest Park. I was still so tired that I didn't even notice Alice waving at me from where she stood.

"Hi, Bella." she greeted casually as we exchanged hugs. "I see you cracked, eh?"

I laughed and felt my cheeks flush a little even though she couldn't see. "Yeah, I cracked. I couldn't take it."

"Yeah, I know how that feels." Alice giggled her signature tinkling laugh and let me greet everybody else.

"Aww, what? No drinks for us, Bells? I'm hurt!" Emmett feigned his sadness and wrapped his huge arms around me for a bear hug. "I'm kidding! Nice to see you again, though!"

"Oh, put her down, you big goon. You're going to hurt her." Rosalie chimed in, smacking the back of her boyfriend's head. "Sorry about that, Bella. But, good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"I didn't sleep _enough_." I uttered, shooting Edward a death glare, though he pretended not to notice.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Rose laughed. "But don't worry, it's well worth it, trust me."

"Yeah. We don't come here as often as I'd like because you have to get up really early, but Edward mentioned it at the beach and we couldn't say no." Jasper spoke, handing me a small carton of orange juice and a tupperware that had pancakes and some sausage inside.

"You guys brought breakfast?" I asked in amazement, thanking him when he handed me the maple syrup.

"Yeah. Alice and I made it before we got here. Hopefully it's still warm."

We all ate together on the gravelly ground, listening to one another as the water before us crashed down gently. It was beginning to get easier to see my surroundings since the sun was rising.

And that was when I realized what we were there for.

The sun was rising over the city and it looked absolutely breathtaking. The clouds and sky were a grayish color with hints of orange here and there where the sun was poking through. You couldn't see the windows of the buildings across from us, just their shadowed silhouettes. It made me wish I had brought a camera.

"See? Isn't this nice?" Edward asked, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

I suddenly felt bad for wanting to throw my alarm clock at him earlier. I snuggled into his hold and sighed contentedly. "This is _very_ nice. I'm sorry for being a brat this morning."

"I'm used to you being difficult in the morning, remember?" He kissed my cheek, my shoulder, and then the top of my head as we sat in silence, admiring the scenery before us.

"You like it, Bella?" Rose asked from where she was standing. Emmett had his big, bulky arm wrapped around her shoulders and she had hers wrapped around his waist. "It's pretty, isn't it?"

I nodded and turned to Alice, who was standing behind Jasper with her small arms wrapped around his waist. His hands were atop hers, his thumbs gently brushing across the tops of her knuckles.

Everyone was in their own romantic little world, which I couldn't believe I was part of. Just two weeks ago, I didn't know any of them existed. Or, well, I knew Edward _existed_ but I never talked to him. And now, I was spending so much time with them that it almost felt as if I had always been a part of this.

"Oh, and, Bella?" Alice's voice dragged my thoughts back to reality.

"Yeah?"

She smiled at me and Edward. "It's completely okay that the both of you cracked. That was the whole point of the assignment."

"What?!" Edward and I shouted in unison.

"The whole point of the assignment was to see if you guys would break the rules. You see, Professor Peterson always talks about how he wants this assignment to relate to reality, right?" Alice smiled at Jasper when he turned his head to kiss her cheek.

He spoke up and continued for her, "And, when you're married to someone in reality, you don't let something small like that keep you apart. Or anything at all, for that matter. Professor Peterson assigned you to 'stay away' from each other to test the bond all of you guys have built with one another."

"So, since you both gave in and went back to each other," Alice chimed in again. "you have absolutely nothing to worry about."

Both our mouths dropped as we turned to each other. We could have walked out of class together that day and he wouldn't have said a damn thing!

"_Now_ you tell me this Alice? What happened to your whole 'I can't remember exactly, it was a while ago' crap you fed me yesterday?" I asked, trying to calm myself as she and Jasper laughed to themselves.

"Oh, Bella. Where would the fun be in that? Then you would have just went to Edward without contemplating whether or not it was the right thing to do! Jasper and I had to suffer, so it shouldn't be any different for you two."

"Thanks, Alice." Edward grumbled sarcastically, running his fingers through his hair.

"You're welcome, Edward. Anytime." Alice sang, sticking her tongue out at her brother teasingly.

"Ummm, it's not the greatest thing in the world to be left out of these Professor Peterson discussions, you know!" Emmett groaned. "Why do you never include us in the conversation?"

"Maybe because you've never_ had _the class, stupid." Alice argued, releasing Jasper as she placed her hands on her hips. "You would be clueless anyway. All you think about is Rose, your muscles, and Doritos."

"Oh, yeah?" Emmett challenged, crossing his arms as he literally looked down at his noticeably shorter sister. "How about you Ms. Shopaholic Pixie Princess?"

"Excuse me?!"

"There he goes again with the shopping pixie comments. This can't be good." Jasper sighed, shaking his head.

"I'm betting on Alice." Rosalie said, grabbing Emmett's tupperware of unfinished pancakes. "Emmett never wins these arguments."

"Don't use that Esme tone with me, midget!"

"Oh, _that's_ it." Alice growled. "You are going down Emmett Dale Cullen!"

I laughed quietly at the sibling banter occurring, feeling Edward's arms wrap around me again. "Are they always like this?"

"_Always_." Edward groaned, burying his face into my hair. "I wish they'd stop. They're so embarrassing."

"I think it's entertaining, actually." I laughed. "Well, look at the bright side. We're not going to get in trouble for not being able to stay away from each other."

He smiled at that and cupped my face between his hands. "Oh, my lovely Bella. I couldn't stay away from you even if I tried."

Edward sounded like a romantic chick flick come to life. "Cornball."

"You love it." he countered, leaning down to meet my eagerly waiting lips for a kiss.

Not like I wanted to admit it, but I couldn't stay away from him either.

And unless I had something big on the line, I didn't plan on trying to stay away anymore either.

* * *

*****

_**End of Chapter Fifteen**_

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Yay, no interference from Tanya or Jacob! Well, a little bit from Tanya in the beginning. Enough fluff for you all? I sure hope so! Tanya's coming back next chapter though, sadly. Sigh. Did you all like the two-week mark twist? I've got an even better one for the third-week, and that one is meant to be humorous so I hope some of you will look forward to it!

A picture of the sunrise at Seacrest Park is up on my profile! I've also included a picture of Bella and Edward I found while surfing the net that I picture the scene of them on the floor to look like. I've mentioned before that I don't live in Seattle, so I base everything off what I find on Google. Cut me some slack, everyone. Oh, and the drink Emmett ordered is from an actual coffee shop called Seattle's Best. You'd think I'd use that one as the coffee shop Bella works at, but I forgot about it until I saw it at the mall today. Gah!

Reviews? Feedback? Encouragement? All of the above? :) I'd appreciate it lots! Check out my other story, too, if you've got the time! It's called _**Your Healing Touch**_. Until next time then!

--_Burrberry Bugsy_


	16. Won't Be Without You

**Author's Notes:** Oh, yes! Another update, and a (sort of) quick one at that because, by popular demand, I decided to write the last chapter from Edward's POV. This update is not just all of the last chapter, there are some new bits in here, so don't worry!

Many thanks to everyone who reviewed and to all the people who added this story to their favorites or alerts. Even more thanks to the ones who added ME to their favorites or author alerts. That put quite a big smile on my face, and I have you all to thank for that! It didn't occur to me until now that this story has almost hit 1,000 reviews! I'm so excited! In the meantime, thank you for 800! I love you all :)

Quick thanks to **iponeddyou** for creating two extremely lovely banners for each of my stories, **_Your Healing Touch_** and _**Hello, Stranger**_. I loved them both! The links are in my profile if anybody wants to see!

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.

* * *

**  
Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Sixteen**

_**Won't Be Without You**_

* * *

*****

**Edward Cullen**

"This week, you are to stay away from your partner."

Professor Peterson's words echoed in my head as Bella drove us back to my apartment in her irritatingly slow truck she loved so much. I couldn't stand the speed, or _lack_ thereof, we were currently going at. I wanted to tell her to step on it, but I knew this was already the fastest we could go.

Eventually, we _did_ make it to the apartment in one piece. I got out and wasn't surprised to see Bella still glued to her seat. Of course she wasn't going to come inside with me. Professor Peterson told us to stay away. I looked at her quickly, unsure of whether or not I should let her in on all the things inside my head I wanted to say to her.

Before I could say anything, that heartwarming smile of hers graced her features as she blew a kiss directly at me. I still remember when she teased me for doing that with Esme and now it was like a daily thing for Bella and I. Not like I minded though. I took the kiss and put it in my pocket, sighing once she began backing up her car. It would only be two days. I could handle it. She could handle it. We could handle it.

This would be cake. Not a problem at all.

Right?

* * *

"Holy!" I muttered, dodging the ball that was coming at me at full speed. If I didn't know any better and if he wasn't actually _right_ in front of me, I'd think these were shooting straight out of a damned tennis ball cannon. They were coming at me _that_ fast. "Jasper! Can you ease up a little? I can't hit them if I can't even _see _where they're coming from!"

"Sorry Edward!" Jasper chuckled, swinging the tennis racket he held in his hand. "So, what were you saying about Professor Peterson's assignment?"

"That our assignment this week was to stay away from each other." I threw the ball overhead and hit it as hard as I could over the net. Jasper easily hit it back, earning a groan from me once I failed to rally it back and forth. "Tennis is definitely not my sport." I was more of a baseball type of guy. Give me a bat, a good pitch, and I'll show you one hell of a home-run hit.

"It was a nice overhead shot, if that makes things better." He chuckled, tossing me a water bottle when he came closer. "We'll take a break for now. You were saying Professor Peterson's assignment was to stay away from your partner? Meaning, you and Bella are not to see each other until...?"

I nodded and drank from the bottle like a parched dog. "Wednesday."

"Ah, well, it's nice to know his tactics never change." Jasper grabbed a small towel from his duffle bag and wiped his face. "He did the same thing when I took the class before."

"So, how did you and Alice handle it?"

His brows furrowed. "Not as well as I thought. I ended up waiting at her place to talk to her the night before we were allowed to speak again. I guess after being around each other 24/7 for fourteen days straight will really strengthen a bond between people. Crazy, huh?"

I nearly spat out the water I was drinking once he hurled a ball my way, but instead I dropped the bottle to the floor to catch it. "I thought we were taking a break!"

"Doesn't seem like there's any need for it now." Jasper chuckled, pointing to the pool of water by my feet and the empty plastic bottle. "Come on, Edward. We can work on your rallying skills. I'll even help you with your overheads and try to reduce how many times you fault."

I watched Jasper walk to his side of the court and groaned silently to myself, running my fingers through my hair. I didn't even know what he meant since he was speaking in tennis terms again. Why couldn't we have just gone to a batting cage?

He bounced eagerly in his place, calling out in his slight southern drawl, "Come on, Edward! Serve it!"

Alice must be rubbing off on him. Three years with her will do that you, I guess. I chuckled softly and realized that maybe trying to ask Jasper for advice while playing his favorite sport wasn't exactly the smartest thing in the world to do. I wasn't going to complain though. Jasper was practically already my brother since he had been with Alice for so long and it helped me get my mind off Bella.

"Edward!"

"Sorry." I threw the ball into the air and smashed it hard with my racket.

* * *

The game was much longer than I thought it would be. Not only did Jasper fill me in on, I think, every single tennis term out there, but he also wouldn't let me leave until he taught me how to perform most of them. I already felt the soreness rearing its ugly head at me and decided my body needed and deserved a nice warm bath.

My apartment felt so damned empty without her.

I tried to put it aside and shuffled through the drawers by the bathroom to see if I had any of those weird bath salts Alice had given me before. She said they helped you to relax and my body definitely needed a good helping of relaxation. My jaw dropped slightly when I opened another drawer.

_Panty liners_.

Which, most definitely, were not mine.

My lips curved up into a smile as I laughed aloud, remembering the day we had both went to the supermarket together. It was the day I decided to be a sneaky bastard and read her essay. The day she and I finally became an official couple.

It wasn't that long ago but god, I missed her.

It was so new to me, this feeling of emptiness I felt whenever she wasn't around me. Before she came into my life, I dealt with being alone fairly well. I never felt empty, I was just... _alone_. Sure, I had my family and my friends, but emotionally, I was on my own. Alice and Jasper, Emmett and Rose, and even Carlisle and Esme. I figured that was probably why every single one of them tried to push me as much as they could into the dating scene. No one liked seeing me alone, even if _I_ had no problem with it.

And then there was Tanya Denali.

They were more ecstatic about me dating her than I was. Physically, yes, it was nice to have someone there to kiss, to hold, to adore.. but never once did what I had with Tanya compare to what I currently have with Bella.

The very first night, Bella was able to rid my mind and body of any feelings of loneliness that had built itself up inside of me. With her around, I never had to worry about any of that anymore. Being around her was the easiest, most effortless thing in the world I'd ever had to do.

These two days are going to kill me. I groaned at the thought and suddenly got sick of looking for those stupid bath salts. I probably threw them away anyways. Instead, I just hopped in the shower and let the hot water run down my aching muscles and tired body. It was fine with me though because not only was it a good workout, but I was able to kill half the day, and now all I had to worry about was tomorrow and then I could talk to her again.

I dressed myself once I was finished and brushed my teeth, staring at the sopping wet bird's nest atop my head that I called hair. Did it _always_ look like this whenever I came out? And if it did, why did I never do anything about it? Sheesh. My teeth and mouth felt clean as I sulked somewhat to my bed and fell face first onto its softness.

It wasn't the same.

I sighed quietly and turned to the door, opening my arms, and stupidly said, "Come here." I knew she wasn't going to come out of thin air and mold herself into my arms like she always did around this time at night. With another sigh, I dropped my arms back onto the bed and buried my face into a pillow. It smelled like her. Strawberries, freesia, and lavender, somehow all mingling together to create a brilliant aroma that could only be described as _Bella_. I was so used to hearing her voice in my ear as we talked to each other for hours in each other's arms. So used to waking up to her sleeping beside me, so used to her being so grumpy whenever I woke her up. So used to her sweet kisses, her contagious laugh, and her beautiful smile. So used to... her just, _being_ there.

"I suck at this." I muttered to myself as I grabbed my phone from the pocket of my jeans on the floor. I sucked at staying away from Bella for any kind of period of time and I had no problem admitting that. I knew I would probably get in trouble for doing so, but we weren't directly speaking to one another, so it wouldn't be too bad, right?

_I'm breaking a rule, I know. Just wanted to let you know, I miss you as you read this. Sleep well tonight._

I decided she was already asleep most likely, so I began to count sheep. One, two, three, four, five... I didn't even make it to six when my phone made a little noise, indicating I had a new message.

_You're not the only one breaking a rule. I miss you, too. A lot. Can't wait until Wednesday._

A stupid, boyish grin came across my face as I read the text once more. Even though it was only a text message and even though I didn't get to hear her actually _say_ it, it meant that she was thinking about me too, _missing_ me just as I was missing her.

Okay, probably not as much as I was missing her, but she was missing me nonetheless. That was enough for me.

* * *

"It's slow right now! Please, please, please can we race one time?"

I ran my fingers through my hair and exhaled in irritation. My morning had started off as anything but pleasant. I thought the whole thing with Professor Peterson was just a dream, so I kept thinking she'd be right there when I opened my eyes. Instead, I woke up to the reality of her not being there with me. It was early and the weather seemed alright, so I decided to go for a morning jog. I hadn't jogged in a while, so I figured the exercise would be nice. I was still a little sore from the day before with Jasper, but it was tolerable.

For some reason, I was hoping Bella would be working a morning shift so I could stop by for some coffee and get to see her since my mind was pretty much going crazy. I jogged all the way there, only to remember she was probably in her English class. So I jogged back to my apartment, showered, and ended up being twenty minutes late for work because some idiot in front of me didn't know how to drive a stick shift properly and was backing cars up for miles.

The last thing I needed was to get scolded at by the workers at the hospital for goofing off with my older brother and for playing with wheelchairs. Sometimes, or well, _a lot_ of the time, I forgot that Emmett was a year older than me. You look at him and you see this big muscular guy, but really, he's just a ten-year old child trapped in the body of a meathead twenty-three year old. "We're here to work, not to play, Em."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh come on, Eddie! Your girlfriend even raced with me. _She_ had fun!"

"She had _bruises_."

"Yeah, but you could tell she was having fun. One time is all I'm asking for!"

I turned to him and chucked the bag of cotton balls I was holding at his face. "We're supposed to be restocking the rooms with supplies."

He threw the bag right back at me. "If you haven't noticed, most of the rooms aren't in dire need of cotton balls, Edward. You can't go through a thousand in one day! They just restocked them yesterday."

"Oh. Right." I muttered, suddenly feeling very stupid.

"What's with you? Usually _I'm_ the one slipping up and making dumb mistakes like that." Emmett pointed out. "Oh, I know. Did you and Bella get into a fight or something?"

I shoved the bag of cotton balls in the box with the other bags in the supplies closet and shut the door. "No, we didn't get into a fight."

"Are you sure? You can tell me, Edward. When Rose and I fight, she makes me sleep on the couch and I get all sulky, too. It sucks. What did you do?"

"Nothing, Emmett. It's part of our assignment."

"What's part of your assignment? Fighting?"

I groaned again at his idiocy. "We. Are. Not. Fighting. We're not supposed to see or talk to each other for two days."

He snorted. "Why? I think that's completely pointless."

"Hey, you two!" One of the head doctors at the hospital called out to us. "What are you doing lounging around here? Isn't it your guys' break?"

"Not for about half an hour more, Dr. Yamoto." Emmett replied.

"Nonsense. You two work hard enough as it is. Go take your break and if anyone complains, you tell them I told you guys to go."

"Nice! Thanks, Dr. Yamoto!" he hooted, taking his work badge off the front of his uniform to shove into his pocket. "Alright, Eddie, what do you feel like eating? How about that one burrito place down the street? Mexican food sounds really good right now."

An idea sprung into my head. Bella was out of English and her shifts on Tuesdays and Thursdays were usually around this time.. "How about we get coffee instead?"

Emmett's face faltered. "Coffee and burritos don't sound like they'd mix too well."

"Then, we'll get burritos some other time. You won't be disappointed in this place, Em. Trust me."

He wasn't exactly too happy at the fact that I had picked a coffee place a good distance from the hospital. There were plenty of closer Starbucks, Seattle's Best's, and many other cafes and bistros we could've gone to, but I had decided on a coffee shop popular with students from the University of Washington. I parked in the lot and took out a five-dollar bill along with a ball point pen from the glove compartment of my car.

"What are you doing?" Emmett asked, arching a brow.

I ignored him and shoved the bill into my pocket when I was finished. "Let's go."

The smell of roasting coffee beans, French vanilla, cinnamon and a variety of other scents filled the air once we opened the door. I inwardly sighed in relief when I saw my favorite barista smile at the both of us as we approached the counter.

"What can I get for you two today?" she asked in that sweet voice of hers.

"I want..." Emmett hummed to himself as his eyes scanned through the menu. "Ooh, that looks good. I'll take a large cookie JavaKula."

"Whipped cream on top?" Bella asked.

"Yes. And drizzled with lots of chocolate syrup, if you don't mind, Bells?" he sang sweetly.

I laughed to myself at his request for extra chocolate. I remember Rosalie accused him once of having more estrogen coursing through his body than she did since he had this weird, obsessive love with _anything_ chocolate. And Doritos, but not mixed together, because that'd be plain... disgusting. Go figure. Emmett's an idiot sometimes.

I watched her scribble something onto the side of a large cup before she turned to me, "And for you?"

And for me, you ask? The only thing I wanted was to grab her from across the counter so I could take her back to my place to hold her, to kiss her until we made up for the day without each other. It seemed pathetic for experiencing such emotions after only a day of being apart, but would you believe me if I said I was seriously _that_ lonely without her? Her. _Bella Swan_. My girlfriend. That's all I wanted. I couldn't tell her that though. It wasn't on the menu. Not to mention I'd probably get her in trouble with her boss if I took her away just like that, so I decided on something simpler, "A medium Bella Swan cappuccino for me."

"Whoa, no way! Bella has a drink named after her? That's awesome! Where is it? I don't see it on the menu?"

Need I repeat that Emmett is an idiot? Sometimes. No, a lot of the time.

"Some people just _call_ it that, Emmett. It's not an actual drink on the menu." she giggled and got started on our order. "If they ask for a Bella Swan cappuccino, I put my own little twists into it. You have to try it sometime."

"Ahh, I see now why you were so insistent on coming here, you sly dog, you." He jabbed my stomach with elbow as he wagged his eyebrows. "I didn't know Bells was a barista. Have you ever thought about--"

"_Shut_ it!" I hissed, punching his shoulder before he could even finish his sentence. I did NOT want to hear anymore of his sex-related questions regarding Bella and I's relationship.

"Calm down, Eddie! I was going to ask if you ever thought about her wearing her apron only. That's not related to sex, so don't go saying that's all I think about, dammit."

"Oh, yeah, like thinking about something like _that_ is any better than thinking about sex!" I growled in a hushed tone, seeing Bella place the two drinks on top of the counter.

"Maybe you should ask her to wear that to bed one night--"

"Emmett!"

"Alright, alright!"

I wanted to punch the back of his big head as we walked to the counter, but one look at Bella and her smile was all it took to calm me down.

"Here you go," she pushed the two cups towards us. "One large cookie JavaKula with extra syrup and one medium Bella Swan cappuccino."

Emmett grabbed his drink eagerly and took a sip, grinning like a child once he swallowed it down. "Jeez, Bella, this is awesome! Now I know why Edward insisted on us driving all the way here. How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing at all. It's on me."

"Alright! Thanks, Bells!"

She turned towards me with a not-so-happy look on her face as I placed the five-dollar bill into her tip jar. "No, take it back. I told you, it's on me."

I did nothing but smile at her. "It's for you. See you later, Bella."

I was hoping she wouldn't just leave it there since I had something I wanted her to read on it. _Breaking another rule because I had to see you, even if it was only to watch you make us drinks. Miss you, _was what I ended up writing. Whether or not writing on currency was illegal was unbeknownst to me, but I really didn't care. What would they do, arrest me for scribbling a note to my girlfriend on a five-dollar bill? Money was still money and it was going to be spent one way or another. I followed Emmett out, taking a slow sip from the cup, immediately feeling like Heaven itself was making its way down my throat. Her signature cappuccinos were seriously the best.

"Aww, look at this, Edward." Emmett chuckled once we got inside the car, shoving his cup in my face. "Do you see that?"

_Made with love!_ was written on the bottom of his cup, along with his name and a smiley face right next to it.

"What does yours say? Ooh, let me guess! 'I want to hug you and kiss you and squeeze your soft cheeks, Eddiebaby! Muah, muah, muah!' Am I right?" He guffawed at his own silliness, and out of curiosity, I scanned the bottom of my cup.

_Made with extra love. Miss you, even though you're right in front of me. _was written on mine, with my name and a heart right beside it. That stupid, boyish grin from last night was back on my face as Emmett jabbed me with his elbow again.

"Was I close? Come on, I wanna see! Show me!"

I was already in too much of a good mood to let even the stupid antics of my idiot brother get me down. In order to shut him up on the way back to work, I made sure to brake check my car a couple of times, which had him slamming into the dashboard and then back into the seat right after. He finally gave in and stopped with the teasing, slurping his JavaKula down.

When we made it back to the hospital, we ended up just grabbing a bite to eat in the cafeteria. I caved in and told Emmett more about Bella and I staying away from each other and even asked if it seemed clingy of me to miss her so much.

Surprisingly, he said it was normal that I was feeling the way I was, that being separated from someone you care so much about for any sort of period time would always be hard. Who would've ever thought that Emmett Cullen would be such a softy? Go figure, once again.

He even told me one of the hardest parts of his and Rose's relationship was when they first began dating and had to go back to her hometown of Rochester, New York for three days. They had only been going out for a month or two. She was invited to a wedding, the wedding of her first love Royce and his to-be wife, Lynette.

He said he wasn't worried at all about Rose feeling anything more than friendship towards Royce because she had constantly given reminders that her heart belonged only to Emmett. What he was worried about was her being so far away from him, how he wouldn't get to hold her in his arms the way he was growing used to.

For Royce's sake, he had asked his wife-to-be if it would be alright to have Rosalie be the maid of honor since he had agreed to letting Lynette's brother be his best man. She agreed and because of that, Rosalie said she'd be entirely busy for those three days and wouldn't be able to talk to Emmett.

"I may seem like just a meathead," Emmett explained. "and to everyone, maybe I _am_ just a meathead. But to everyone except Rose, I'm so much more. I'm her best friend, her confidant, her lover, her soul mate. And to be away from the one person you know you can't live without, even for a day, even for a _minute_.. Not being able to talk to them, not being able to see them.. it's hard, Eddie. It's real hard."

It astonished me how deep Emmett could get during a conversation about him and Rosalie. But, I understood the point he was trying to convey by bringing up the three days they were apart. He was telling me it was okay that I was missing Bella so much, that it was okay to feel so empty whenever she wasn't around. Now, Bella wasn't my best friend or my soul mate, but I cared about her and being without her was harder than I thought it was going to be.

"Dude, Edward, if not seeing Bella is bothering you this much," Emmett took a huge bite out of the roast beef sandwich he was eating. "then don't let some assignment keep you from her. So what if you get dinged a few points? You'll live."

I looked down at my untouched grilled chicken wrap, taking his words into consideration.

"Did you know right after I dropped off Rose at the airport, I went home to pack three days worth of clothes and bought myself a ticket for the next flight to Rochester? It was already too much for me. I was dying the whole time on the flight. I couldn't wait to see her and when I did, she looked more gorgeous than I ever remember her being. The short time without her took such a toll on me that I nearly forgot how beautiful she was and still is."

My eyes widened. "You've never told me this."

He shook his head and chuckled. "I don't really like admitting how much of a sap I am when it comes to her. I mean, she left me for a damn hour and already I couldn't stand it. But, you know what? I never regretted it. So the hell what if I blew hundreds of dollars on a plane ticket and a stupid rental car I used for 3 days? I don't regret doing it because it made me realize just how much I'd be miserable without her by my side."

Emmett chuckled and stretched his arms up over his head. "She told me she loved me for the very first time that day. I thought she was broken when Royce left her for Lynette and that it'd take forever for her to heal completely, but she told me she loved me and I know she meant it. I already knew I loved her, but it was the first time I said it, too."

He grabbed my chicken wrap and took a huge bite out of it. If it were any other time, I would have chucked the tray at him. "I say, you just go see her. It's obviously bothering you, and Bella probably feels the exact same way. You should've seen the way she was looking at you today, Edward. She looked so happy, like she was.. what's the word? Glowing."

I grinned at him, suddenly proud to call that big, idiotic, meat-headed goof sitting across from me my brother. No matter how much he teased me, or how much he could piss me off, he was my brother, and even though I hated to admit it, I loved him. I stood up and handed him the rest of my food.

"Tell Bells I say hi." Emmett smiled knowingly, waving me off as I grabbed my empty cup off the table. "Oh and I'll tell them you weren't feeling well, so you clocked out early."

"Thanks, Emmett."

"Anytime. You're my brother after all, Eddie."

I ran out of the cafeteria and headed down the halls to reach the entrance of the hospital. Emmett was right. So what if I didn't get as good of a grade by breaking the rules a little bit? So what if I couldn't bear not seeing her for even a day?

I wanted to see Bella.

Before my mind could even comprehend my actions, I crashed into someone and the impact of it sent us both tumbling to the floor.

"In a hurry much?"

I looked down to see the damage I had caused and wanted to shield myself from the designer-brand beating I was sure to receive. Tanya Denali, _again_. "I'm really sorry about that, Tanya. I wasn't looking and I _am_ in a bit of a hurry. Sorry." The least I could do was offer my hand to her and she willingly took it as I helped her to her feet.

"It's fine, Edward. Don't worry about it. Here, you dropped your..." she bent over and stared at the cup. "empty cup?"

"Yeah, I'll--"

"Don't worry, I got it." Tanya smiled at me and turned to toss it in the trash can beside us.

"No, don't!" I raised my voice unintentionally and she stared at me like I was crazy.

"It's an empty Java Monster cup. What use do you have for it?" Her eyes glanced down to the writing across the bottom, an unhappy grimace suddenly gracing her features. "Made with extra love. Miss you, even though you're right in front of me."

I always seemed to run into her at the worst times. Am I on someone's bad side up there? Please stop doing this to me. My face won't be able to handle another shoe. Please. I'll be a good boy from now on, I promise, just please stop letting me run into Tanya like this.

"That's cute. From _Bella_, I'm assuming." She laughed and gave her strawberry-blonde hair a toss.

"Yeah, it is. So, can I have it back, please?"

Tanya smiled at me and for some reason I felt afraid. _Very_ afraid. "Since you're on your way to see her, could you please let her know I didn't appreciate the attitude that one night I talked to her?"

I ran my fingers through my hair and contemplated just snatching the cup from her and hightailing it out of there. "Tanya, I thought we already discussed this? I was driving. Bella was just doing me a favor by answering so I could focus on the road."

"But you seemed to handle talking on the phone just fine when she handed the phone to you. You don't have to cover up for her, Edward."

If I didn't know her so well, I would've thought she were a sweetheart. She'd flash her pearly white smile and bat those long eyelashes of hers as she mesmerized you with her seemingly innocent grey eyes. I knew better than that. "I'm not covering up for her. If she had just taken my phone without permission and answered it, then I would've been upset. But, she asked me if it was okay and I said yes."

Her mouth curved into a fake smile. "That's so sweet, you seem to really care about her. How long have you two been going out?"

I wanted to put a muzzle on her mouth. A stupid, large, designer-brand muzzle to match her designer-brand outfits so she wouldn't complain. She talked too much sometimes and asked way too many questions. I almost turned on my heel right at that very second, but she still had the cup and I wasn't going to leave without it. Call me gushy, but small things like that cup have huge sentimental value to me. "Why does it matter?"

"I'm just curious."

"Long enough."

Tanya pursed her lips a little, deciding to switch topics. "So, have you eaten yet? Kate and I were just about to go get some food if you want to come along."

"I was actually headed somewhere before we ran into each other. Remember?" My voice remained calm even though I was just about ready to bonk her over the head with her damn gigantic purse. Maybe I could text Emmett to try and snatch it from her so I could make my getaway. She'd be too busy chasing after him to even notice me slipping away anyway.

"Ready to go, Tanya?"

Oh, thank goodness for Kate.

Tanya turned towards Kate, a pout still plastered onto her face. When Kate made it obvious she wasn't going to give her anymore time, she gave up and handed me the empty cup. "We should hang out sometime, Edward. It'll be my treat for giving you that horrid scar."

She reached up to brush the healed wound on my head but I turned away. "I told you it was fine. You two have a nice time."

"You're off already, Edward?" Kate asked, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"No, but I decided to clock out early. I think I'm missing my girlfriend a little too much."

Both of the Denali sisters had different looks on their faces. Kate's was warm and happy, Tanya's was bitter and hard.

"Alright then, Edward. Take it easy alright?"

"I will. Thanks Kate, goodbye Tanya."

I didn't give her a chance to stop me again as I dashed as fast I could out to the parking lot. My driving had never been so reckless. I know I promised I'd be a good boy, but I wanted to see Bella so bad that I didn't even care if I had to encounter Tanya anymore. I just wanted to see her, _be_ with her as soon as I possibly could.

The light I was at was already yellow, so I stepped on the gas and ended up running a red. Crap. I prayed to all the heavens above to let me get away this one time and was thankful when there were no sirens or flashing lights behind me.

Once I reached Bella's apartment complex, I parked in the first empty spot I saw available in the guest lot. It was far from where her place was, but I didn't really care anymore. I had legs and I'd make use of them. As fast as I could go, I raced down the lot and turned corners here and there until I reached the one that was hers. I was ready to knock but right when I was about to, the door opened and there she was.

_Bella_.

Emmett was right about the short time away from each other almost making me forget how beautiful she was to me. _Almost_. Her mid-length shiny brown hair, those mesmerizing chocolate colored eyes to match, her full lips, her blushing cheeks, _god_. She was absolutely stunning. She could wrap newspaper around herself for all I'd care, and she'd still look just as good. I must have looked horrid compared to her. I was still in my work uniform, sweating and out of breath, and I bet anything my hair looked like a tornado had just blown through it.

I noticed then she had her car keys in her hand. Was she coming to see me? I couldn't ask since she threw herself into my arms and buried her face against my chest. "Why was it so hard? It was only a day.." she whispered.

"I was going to ask you the same thing." I murmured into her hair. "I ended my shift early to come here. I think I might have even ran a red light in my haste to get here as quick as I could. That's how hard it was for me. Can you believe that? It's almost pathetic how much I've been missing you."

I framed her face between my hands, memorizing every fleck and sparkle I could get a glimpse of beneath her brown eyes. "I am not going to falsify this in my essay. I'm going to confess to Professor Peterson that I couldn't do it, that I was tired of trying to stay away from you."

"Edward,"

"I'm breaking all the rules now, Bella."

I leaned in and closed the small distance between us by crashing my lips onto hers, feeling her sigh against them. Her body shivered slightly from the evening air in which her open door was allowing access to and as much as I didn't want to tear away, I had to. I pulled away as quickly as I could to shut the door and lock it, being greeted by Bella's lips once again as I turned back towards her.

Like a clumsy idiot, I lost my footing on the way to her room and grunted at the slight pain that arose in my back once it made contact with the floor with Bella collapsing atop my chest right after. I ignored it and continued to move my lips feverishly against hers, and the atmosphere around us practically screamed passion. Her hair fell over her shoulder and concealed our faces as I inched my hand towards the back of her neck, gripping her hair softly as I daringly brushed my tongue against her bottom lip. She responded the way I thought she would, setting electric currents all throughout my body as she ran her small hands up my chest and shoulders, stopping at my neck where her fingers danced over the area of my erratic pulse. I wanted to scold my heart to calm down but every touch, every kiss, every breath was building a fire inside of me that I just couldn't extinguish despite how hard I was trying.

Her lips left my all too eager mouth, trailing down my cheek and back to my neck where her fingers just were, her breath a feather light caress against the sensitive part below my ear. My hands had found their way to her hips where my grip tightened as she brushed her lips softly against my weak spot. "Bella.." I murmured softly, amazed at how one simple kiss upon my neck turned me into putty.

The feeling increased tenfold as she closed her lips over the spot she'd been kissing, taking my flesh between her teeth lightly enough so not to hurt me. It was just enough to send my head spiraling out of control at the sensation. I tilted my head to grant her more access, unable to hold back the hiss coming of my lips, "Bella."

I had to battle between telling her to stop or letting her continue and my body yearned for the latter. Though letting her work her magic on my neck was what I wanted, I had to fight for dominance and find the strength in me to get her to stop. _Damn_. I drew in a breath through my nose and pushed on her shoulders a little. I already missed the feeling.

She looked shocked and confused before muttering out, "I'm sorry, Edward, I--"

"No," I had to cut her off as I shook my head and took her face between my hands. "I stopped you for _your _sake. Bella, you have to understand that I'm a man, and things like that will only egg me on to do other... things."

Her face flushed that lovely color I liked so much. She was too cute.

"It was, amazing. And it felt wonderful, don't get me wrong, but I could never forgive myself if I rushed you into doing something you might regret." I pulled her face down and kissed her softly. "One day, if you trust me enough, and if you're ready, then we'll talk."

I carried her to her room once I was able to calm the inner flames beneath my skin. We talked for hours in each other's arms until I noticed a pillow beside her with my blue shirt tossed over it. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I had a pretty good idea in my head as I raised a brow at her. "Is this supposed to be me?"

"No," I couldn't tell if she was lying. "it's just that I couldn't sleep because I was so used to you being right next to me. So, I held the pillow while I was sleeping and threw your shirt over it because it smelled like you."

I chuckled and pulled her against my body, playing with a lock of her hair. "You really _did_ miss me, didn't you?"

"Did you think I was lying?" she asked, staring at me incredulously.

"No, not at all." I replied honestly. "It's just nice to know, that's all."

I was surely flattered that she'd do such a thing just because I wasn't there. It made me feel like her feelings for me just might be comparable to the feelings I had for her. _Might_. "Sleep, my Bella. For me?" I whispered into her ear once she started falling asleep.

A lazy smile danced across her face. "Hmm, alright. For you, then. Good night, Edward."

She kissed me one last time before closing her eyes, finally giving into the threatening slumber that had been overtaking her body for who knows how long. I made a mental note to myself to thank Emmett, maybe even get him one of those monster-sized bags of Doritos to prove my gratitude. Or lend him a quarter and a power drill so he could try to con his way to a free bag of chips from the vending machine.

* * *

The following morning, I took Bella to Seacrest Park to show her the best sunrise I was sure she'd ever seen. She was difficult, needless to say, yet I had to agree that the hour we had gotten up at was painstakingly early, even for me. I had mentioned it to Jasper and Emmett at the beach while Alice and Bella were in the water. They all agreed right away, but had to find a day where it wouldn't clash with their school and/or work schedules.

It was a great way to start the morning and the sunrise was much more beautiful than the last time I remembered. Whether it was because the sky's colors were breathtaking or the fact that I had Bella at my side to view it with me, I wasn't sure.

It wasn't until Alice mentioned something the about the assignment that I nearly flipped out.

"The whole point of the assignment was to see if you guys would break the rules. You see, Professor Peterson always talks about how he wants this assignment to relate to reality, right?" Alice smiled at Jasper once he kissed her cheek.

He spoke up and continued for her, "And, when you're married to someone in reality, you don't let something small like that keep you apart. Or anything at all, for that matter. Professor Peterson assigned you to 'stay away' from each other to test the bond all of you guys have built with one another."

"So, since you both gave in and went back to each other," Alice chimed in again. "you have absolutely nothing to worry about."

While Bella scolded Alice, I looked over at Jasper and tried to figure out why he didn't tell me. It made me wonder if that was the real reason why he had me work so hard the other day. Was it to distract me so I wouldn't ask him how it turned out for him and Alice when he ended up failing to stay away?

If that was his plan, damn him for being smart. It worked.

We went back to her apartment after spending the rest of the morning with my family, getting an hour or two of sleep to reenergize our bodies before class. Since we both already knew that breaking the rules was the main part of the assignment, we walked to class together, hand in hand. It had been a while since I had held a girl's hand and I honestly missed the innocent feel of it. Tanya and I never held hands for some reason. I really don't know why, but we never did.

Professor Peterson came in minutes later, taking his place in front of the podium to calm the class down. "Well, everyone. How did you all handle the assignment this week?"

Everyone stayed silent, waiting until someone was brave enough to speak first. I wondered _just_ how many people actually gave in and broke the rules.

"Was this hard for anyone? Easy?" he asked, folding his hands on top of the podium. "Alright, I'll stop beating around the bush. How many of you followed the rules of my assignment thoroughly?"

More than just a few people shot their hands up. He nodded knowingly, before asking again, "Ah, I see. Now just how many of you are telling me the truth?"

Hands went down one by one, leaving only a small handful of students throughout the room who's hands were still up. Professor Peterson chuckled to himself, pushing his glasses up, "Oh, class. _This_ is how many of you failed to complete the assignment?"

Bella and I looked at each other with smirks on our faces. We were in on this secret. While everyone else was stressing about whether or not they'd be dinged many points for not following the rules, she and I were relaxed, sitting back in our seats and just waiting until he dropped the bomb. Thank goodness for Alice.

"I made it clear that this four-week marriage assignment was to relate to reality right? Every marriage will go through problems at one point or another, don't they?" He heaved a sigh before his lips curved into a huge grin. "Regardless of the problems couples will face throughout their journey together, is it ever really the_ right_ thing to do to stay away?"

Everyone suddenly seemed very interested in what he was saying as eyes widened and audible gasps all throughout the classroom were heard.

"The real point of this assignment was to disobey the instructions I gave to keep away from your partner. So, to everyone who kept your hand down, congratulations. Breaking the rules was in your benefit this time around."

Silence.

More silence.

And even more silence after that.

Then, hell broke loose.

Luckily for Bella and myself, we were already well aware of this fact so we took no part in the catastrophe occurring around us. I brought her hand I was still holding up to my lips and kissed it softly, smiling at her. "Have dinner with me tonight?"

"We always have dinner together." She laughed, blushing slightly once I kissed her hand again.

"Hmmm, true.. Well, actually, no. I didn't have dinner with you last night or the night before."

Bella's brows furrowed in thought and her mouth became an "o" shape when she realized I was telling the truth. "You're right. So, does that mean I can take you up on that romantic candlelit dinner you offered a few days ago, Mr. Cullen?"

I grinned crookedly and nodded, turning my attention back to the havoc Professor Peterson had gotten himself into. It was almost funny to see him trying to settle everyone down while attempting to explain the reasoning behind his plan.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I quirked a brow, wondering who it could have been. I released Bella's hand briefly to pull it out, groaning at the name flashing on the front. I read through the text quickly, sighing exasperatedly at what it said. Bella was staring at me in confusion, so instead of reading it aloud, I handed her my phone so she could see herself.

_Kate told me you weren't working because you had class today. On my way now, how about dinner together?_

"Tanya. I should have figured." Her face remained emotionless and before I could reassure her everything was fine, she spoke, "Would you mind if I replied back?"

Bella's fingers lingered on the keys of my phone and I knew she wouldn't do anything unless I said it was okay. "Sure."

She stared at the screen as she typed out a reply, handing it back to me once she was finished. "What did you say?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Check for yourself." She winked and turned her attention back to the front of the class.

I opened the "Sent Messages" folder and read silently, _Hi Tanya._ _Edward's actually already got dinner plans, sorry. And, yes, this is Bella, so go ahead and get mad again._ I turned to her and laughed as I put my phone back in my pocket and shook my head. My hand found hers underneath the table, giving it a gentle squeeze to let her know I wasn't mad at all about the message she had sent.

I could definitely get used to this Bella, _my_ Bella that wouldn't let Tanya or anyone else for that matter interfere. My phone vibrated in my pocket again, but listening to the rants of my classmates undeniably seemed like a better choice than to deal with angry, obsessive, stalker-ish Tanya who was probably lurking around campus looking for me.

As if she could read my mind, Bella soothingly rubbed her thumbs over my knuckles of the the hand she was holding to let me know all would be well.

* * *

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**End of Chapter Sixteen**

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**Author's Notes:** There we go! The separation from Edward' s POV. Did you all like it? I sure hope so. It always takes me a little longer to write Edward's parts since, well, I'm not a man. Haha! But I hope that little insight into his head was good enough. Oh, and don't complain about Jasper playing tennis, please. There are plenty of sexy, handsome males who are professional tennis players. You should check them out on Google :)

Oooh, I just realized it's March 17th, so **Happy St. Patrick's Day** everybody! Make sure to wear green so you don't get pinched. I don't know if people still do that, but my friends do. Probably because they'll take any given opportunity they get to pinch each other?

Reviews? Yes, please! I'd appreciate it greatly! Or even comments, questions, or concerns? Until next time then!

--_Burrberry Bugsy_


	17. Get A Clue

**Author's Notes:** Terribly sorry for the lack of replying to reviews. I've replied to some, not as much as I would like, but life is really beginning to kick me in the butt. Just know I DO read every single one and appreciate them so, so much. Thank you for 900 reviews everyone!

Anyone get the Twilight DVD? It's playing as I write this right now. HAHAHA, I think this is already my third time watching it, and I barely got it today! Sigh. Still wish Edward Cullen existed..

Quick shout-out to **Erica** for being so delayed on the e-mail replies! I promise I'll get on it as SOON as I possibly can. Hopefully by tomorrow? I hope you can forgive me.. I really am sorry though. Love ya.

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.

* * *

**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Seventeen**

_**Get A Clue**_

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**Bella Swan**

"See the market place in old Algiers,"

I heard a voice sing in my head as I groggily tried to make out what their words were.

"Send me photographs and souvenirs.."

My eyes opened slowly as the sun poked out through the curtains by the window. The voice became more clear and instead of hearing it in my head, I was hearing it being breathed into my ear.

"Just remember when a dream appears,"

When I finally pushed all the sleep away from my body, Edward lifted himself away and smiled warmly at me, singing one more line inches away from my lips. "You belong to me. ..Good morning, Bella."

I groaned at how much he could dazzle me, even at such early hours of the day. He had just _sang_ to me and I chastised myself for sleeping through it. Stupid, Bella. Stupid! My fingers laced their way through the hair at the nape of his neck as I drew him to me, kissing the lips where the lyrics had come from. "No fair. I didn't hear most of it. Sing more. Please?"

A crooked grin graced his features as he caressed my cheek gently. "And I'll be so alone without you. Maybe you'll be lonesome, too?"

I dragged my lips down his chin and kissed the hollow of his throat, tightening my grip in his hair a bit so he'd continue.

"Fly the ocean in a silver plane, see the jungle when it's wet with rain. Just remember till you're home again, you belong to me."

My mouth stayed at his throat, kissing softly between every line or two. Feeling the vibrations of every note he sang against my lips was surprisingly making my stomach flutter with butterflies. He was singing for _me_ and no one else. The vibrations of his vocal chords belonged to me - a physical reminder that he was mine. Mine. Mine, mine.

"Mmmm, Bella, I can't focus on singing to you if you keep doing that." Edward chuckled softly, pecking me once more before he got up.

Thankfully, it was finally Friday again and since I didn't have work or school, my day was open for Edward. But, I didn't even realize he was dressed in his hospital scrubs until after I got excited about being with him. I pouted in dismay, "I didn't know you were working today?"

His smile faltered a bit and his eyes became apologetic. "Neither did I. I'm sorry, Bella. A friend of mine asked me to cover his shift and he doesn't ask me for favors unless it's really important. It's only until 5. You'll manage without me until then, won't you?"

I played with his hair and smiled at him. "Yeah, I'll manage. You still owe me dinner, Cullen. Both of us were too busy yesterday and on Wednesday to have a nice one."

"I haven't forgotten, don't worry." He pulled me up so I was in a sitting position. "But, I've got to get going now. I just didn't want to leave without my kiss, that's all."

I couldn't help the blush that stained my cheeks at his words as I crooked a finger towards him. Once he came closer to my face, I grabbed the front of his scrubs and laid another one on him. I spoiled Edward when it came to kisses but I really couldn't help it. His lips were too irresistible.

"I will never get to work if you distract me like that." He laughed and kissed my forehead softly before grabbing his keys off the desk by my bed. "I'll see you in a few hours."

I flopped back down on my bed once I heard the door shut behind him. It was stupid, but I suddenly wished I could get called in for work so the day would pass by sooner. I hadn't been assigned any new chapters to read and I really didn't feel too much in a writing mood, so continuing the essay wasn't an option for me either.

Before I could try to think of something else, my cell phone rang. I leaned over and grabbed my phone, getting a quick look at the screen: Alice. I flipped it open and answered, "Hello?"

"Hi, Bella!" She sounded just as perky as she always did.

"Hi Alice."

"What are you doing right now?"

"Trying to figure out what to do today." I sighed, leaning onto my side.

"That's perfect! How about you come shopping with me? I tried asking Rose, but she's busy today."

"You can't handle this on your own, Ms. Personal Shopper?" I joked.

"I am _very_ capable of handling this on my own, I just prefer having another opinion when shopping for myself. Please, Bella, please? Come with me?"

I sighed, my eyes glued to the ceiling above me. As much as I detested shopping, I really didn't have any other plans for the day. Even if I _did_ have other plans, I'm sure Alice would've weaseled her way into making sure I went with her anyways. I sighed begrudgingly, already having a good idea of how the day would play out. "Fine, Alice. I'll go with you."

"Yay!" She squeaked, and I thought I heard Jasper grumbling for her to quiet down in the background. "Go ahead and get ready. I'll come get you in half an hour. We'll go to breakfast, too!"

"Alright, that's fine. I'll see you soon."

We hung up and I tossed my phone aside as I made my way over to the bathroom to get the shower started. Shopping with Alice wasn't exactly something I loved to do since I hated the mall, but at least it would make the day pass that much faster.

* * *

I slapped my hand over my eyes at what Alice was holding out to me. We had pancakes and orange juice at Table 219 before heading over to the mall since Alice said she needed some new outfits. When I had agreed to go, I had absolutely no idea that by outfits, she meant _lingerie_. I don't think my face had ever been redder.

"What do you think about this one?" Alice asked, holding it up to herself. "I have enough pink sets, but Jasper seems to really like the color on me. What do you think?"

"Alice, you're my friend and of course I love you, but I'd rather not help you pick out something that Jasper will be seeing you in, knowing what... _activities_ are later to come." I tried not to sound too rude, but it was true.

She huffed and put her hands on her hips. "Oh goodness, Bella! You are _just_ like Edward!" With a roll of her eyes, she put the lingerie set back up to eye level. "Be a little helpful and at _least_ tell me whether or not it's cute."

I groaned and tried to cool down the burning in my cheeks. "Yes, it's cute. Now can you just buy it so we can get out of here?"

"I am not done yet, Isabella Swan." Alice fiercely said, holding out a sapphire blue bra and panty set to me. "I want you to try this on."

"_Excuse_ me?" I nearly screamed, backing away from her. "Victoria's Secret and I don't mix well together, at all. I'm perfectly fine with department store bras or panties."

She glared at me. "Oh come on! I've seen the bras and panties you have. Remember when I helped you change at my place? Yeah, not very sexy. Now, try it on!"

"They're not sexy, but they're comfortable." I argued, pushing the set back at her.

"These are comfortable, too! Why else do you think lingerie from Victoria's Secret sells so much? It looks good and feels good. Come on, Bella! You are twenty freaking one years old. There's absolutely nothing wrong with spicing up your wardrobe a bit. If you look sexy, you'll _feel_ sexy, too. And I'm sure Edward would get a kick out of seeing you in it."

My face went ten times hotter at her mention of Edward. I hadn't even thought about him and now that I thought about him seeing me in _that_, I nearly died of embarrassment.

Alice must have seen the change in my expression because her eyes widened and a wicked grin graced her lips. "Actually, that's an absolutely brilliant idea. Edward is too much of a gentleman to ever picture you in something like this, so he'll never expect it. Holy hell, I'm so smart!" I could practically see the light bulb gleaming over Alice's head as she rummaged through more racks for different sets that "went well with my skin tone". It wasn't long before Alice shoved me into a fitting room with everything she had picked. For sanitary reasons, I was only allowed to try on the bras, which was fine, but still unsettling.

I put the blue one on first and shyly peeked my head out of the room. "Alice, I really don't think me trying these on is necessary. They're not really my style."

She rolled her eyes again and pushed the door fully open to get a look. I tried covering myself up, but she wasn't having it.

"Goodness, Bella! I've seen you in a bathing suit for heaven's sake, relax!"

It wasn't that I was uncomfortable with her seeing me in a bra. I had gotten over that phase in high school, thanks to a little something called locker rooms. It was just that the bra was much different than the owns I owned, so it was weird for me.

She quirked a brow and smiled devilishly once again, nodding her head in approval. "I like it. I was _so_ right - blue is a good color on you. Edward would definitely--"

"If I let you get me the ones you picked, will you _please_ stop with mentioning Edward? I swear I will die of embarrassment if you keep bringing him up!" My face once again felt incredibly warm at the thought.

"Edward is your _boyfriend_. Are you not even going to show him?" she asked, her jaw dropping.

"Need I repeat that I would _die_ of embarrassment?" I groaned, shutting the door.

"You act like he wouldn't like it. Edward - whether he acts like it or not - still has hormones that would react to seeing you in that. So don't even try to deny it because you know I'm right!"

My mind flashed back to the night we couldn't stay away from each other anymore. The kiss we shared that night was unlike any of our other previous ones. I saw a whole new side of Edward that night. The hidden, dashingly sexy Edward I never even knew existed. He was always so gentleman-like when it came to our relationship. He always asked for permission with his eyes if it was okay to kiss me, always kissed my neck softly but never anything more, and always stopped himself before things heated up too much because he thought it was what _I_ wanted.

Stopping was never really what I wanted. If only he knew.

_Fuck!_ I buried my face in my hands as I handed everything to Alice. Since everything was the same size, I didn't need to try on the rest given that they'd probably fit. I felt like such a hormonal-driven teenager because of the thoughts that were running through my head. It was normal to imagine yourself in such scenarios when in a relationship but for some reason, I felt so... _perverted_. Alice was talking but I couldn't hear what she was saying, being too drowned out in my own thoughts to really even focus on anything else. Before I realized it, she had shoved the signature pink striped bag in my hand and beamed at me, obviously proud that she had gotten me to accept the three sets.

What she didn't know was that they'd never even be seen by anybody else's eyes except mine. Sorry Alice, they're lovely, and I promise I'll definitely wear them, but Edward won't ever get to see.

Sergeant Bella, Girly Bella, and Girlfriend Bella all screamed at me in unison. They, obviously, were not pleased with my decision.

* * *

Alice and I separated a little while after she had gotten more shopping done. Thankfully, we looked for regular outfits and not what was underneath them. Regardless of how much I protested, she ended up buying me a few things, too. The only thing I was grateful for were the different bags I now had to conceal the horrid pink one I didn't want Edward to see. It was around the time I knew Edward usually had his breaks at the hospital, so I decided to swing by Java Monster and bring him a little pick-me-up. The weather was a little too warm for a Bella Swan cappuccino, so I decided on a strawberries and cream frap instead.

I parked in the visitor's lot of Northwest Hospital, grabbed the drink, and headed in. Even though Edward worked all throughout the hospital, he was mostly running in and out of the supplies room, so I decided waiting there would be a good idea. My cell phone read 12:52pm, so he should've been getting out at any minute now. I took a seat at one of the many chairs lined up against the wall and sighed quietly. The quietness of the hospital always made me feel a bit uncomfortable, regardless of how many times I had been.

I scanned my surroundings out of boredom and my eyes fell upon a strawberry-blonde seated a few seats away in the row across from me. She had perfect, bouncing curls atop her head and smoky grey eyes that I could see from where I was sitting. She pulled out a compact mirror from her purse and looked into it, smiling at her reflection. I didn't blame her for being proud of her looks; she was gorgeous.

Sometimes, I envied girls like her. I didn't know how to apply make-up, or what clothes best suited my body frame, or even what shape my eyes would be classified as. I wasn't too good with all of that girl stuff, but I learned to be okay with it. Knowing about make-up wouldn't make me any different, it would just make me Bella who knew how to do make-up, that's all.

"Hey, you."

The velvety voice caught my attention instantly. I looked to my right and smiled as I stood up to greet him. To my surprise, the strawberry-blonde I was admiring stood up at the same time, smiling the exact way I was at the same person I was directing it towards.

She knew Edward?

Wait a second.

Hold on.

It couldn't have been..?

"Is this for me?"

Edward pointed to the drink I was holding in my left hand. With a smile, he grabbed my wrist gently and brought the cup and straw to his lips as he took a sip. "Mm, strawberry. Did you make this for me, Bella?"

I was right.

The look on her face when he called me Bella gave it away.

_Tanya_.

Sergeant, Girlfriend, and Girly Bella all came before I could get the leash out fast enough.

My arms locked around Edward's neck to bring his lips to mine in a fervent kiss I hoped Tanya saw every second of. The cup slipped out of my hand and fell to the floor but in that moment I could have cared less. Edward pulled me closer, smiling against my lips as he ran his hands up and down the small of my back. My fingers threaded through the silky hair at the nape of his neck as I ran my tongue lightly across his bottom lip. He sharply took in a breath and held me tighter, his lips more urgent than before.

"Ahem." Tanya coughed loudly, obviously irritated at our public display of affection.

My face was red when we finally pulled away from each other and the strawberry frap I had made was a puddle of melted mess at our feet. "Oops?" I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. "Yeah, that _was_ for you. But I don't think it'd be a good idea to drink it now."

Edward chuckled softly and kissed the top of my head. "It's the thought that counts. Thank you, Bella. I'll clean it up, don't worry."

"Aren't you going to say hi, Edward?" Tanya chimed in, smiling at him like I wasn't even there.

Edward ran his fingers through his hair before bending over to clean up the mess with the napkins I had brought from Java Monster. "Hi, Tanya."

She turned to me next, her face a perfect façade of joy. "And is this the Bella Swan I keep hearing so much about?" Her hand jutted out towards me. "I'm Tanya Denali."

I placed a fake smile on my face and shook the hand she was offering towards me. "Nice to finally meet you, Tanya."

Edward's arms suddenly snaked around my waist as he nuzzled my shoulder, softly whispering, "You just made my day. I'm so happy to see you."

I knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to distract me - and it worked. I leaned into his hold and smiled lazily. All the Bella's inside my head were rejoicing when Tanya huffed in annoyance. "Likewise."

"Oh, Tanya, there you are!"

A platinum blonde with piercing blue eyes came towards us, waving casually at Edward. She looked somewhat similar to Tanya and I thought that maybe she was the sister Alice told me Edward worked with. Not only did she give off a better vibe, but her face was much more friendly and her smile more welcoming. I did have to admit they were equally beautiful, having faces lovely enough to grace the covers of magazines.

"I've been looking all over for you. My break is already half over!" the blonde giggled and swatted Tanya's arm playfully. "Hi, Edward. Are you on break right now as well?"

"Yeah, I'm off for an hour. Oh, and since you asked so politely before," Edward nudged me softly. "this is my girlfriend, Bella. Bella, this is Kate. She's the receptionist here and a good friend of mine."

Her smile widened at that. "_You're_ Isabella Swan. I've heard so much about you."

"Good things, I hope?" I laughed.

"_Only_ good things, I promise." That made Tanya shoot a death glare Kate's way, but she ignored it. Since they were bound together by blood, I was sure she was already used to it. "I'd really love to stay and chat, but I'm starving and I've only got half of my break left to fetch something outside of the cafeteria. It was nice meeting you, Bella. You should stop by again sometime."

"I will." I liked Kate already. She waved goodbye to Edward and I and grabbed Tanya's wrist so they could leave.

"So, _that's_ Tanya." I grumbled, shaking my head.

Edward laughed softly above me and kissed my cheek. "Is that why you attacked me earlier and dropped my drink?"

I flushed as he took my hand in his, incredibly embarrassed when I realized exactly what I had done with him in front of Tanya. "Sorry about that--"

"No need to say sorry at all. I liked it." He grinned at me as we walked down the long empty hall of the hospital. "Who would've thought that my Bella was so possessive?"

_My Bella_, there it was again. Cue the fainting of all the Bella's in my head, please. "She is pretty though." Grrr, I hated admitting that.

He raised a brow at me. "Why does that even matter?"

"It doesn't. I'm just saying she's pretty." I shrugged.

"Bella," Edward started. "_please_ tell me you are _not_ jealous because Tanya is pretty."

"I'm not!" I huffed, feeling a little childish. Okay, yeah, I'll admit I was a little jealous. Ever since I was sixteen-years old, I always imagined Edward's girlfriend to look something exactly like Tanya. Tall, slender, and blonde. I was always nervous to talk to him because of how shy I was. I never thought he even looked at me because back then, I was scrawny, pale, and clumsy.

But, I knew that regardless of how attractive Tanya was, I still had something she didn't, something she wouldn't get to have - _Edward_. He had the option of being with her if he wanted to be, but instead he chose me. He chose me over her. _Bella over Tanya_. Forgive me for being arrogant, but I think that's definitely something to be proud of. Sergeant Bella patted me on the shoulder for that one.

I didn't even realize we had stopped or that Edward was inches closer to my face until I felt his breath upon my lips. His hands rested on the wall behind me, trapping my face between them. "Bella, don't think that way. I can see it in your eyes right now. Stop thinking about Tanya. She's not important and she's not the one I want. _You_ are."

My heart beat quickened a bit as I cradled his face in my hands. "I know, Edward." I closed my eyes and leaned in for a subtle kiss. "Thanks."

He sighed against my lips and backed away from me too soon, grabbing a lock of my hair between two of his fingers. "Don't forget that I prefer brunettes." A crooked grin graced his features as he twirled it playfully. "Brown eyed, clumsy brunettes who smell like strawberries, freesia, and lavender. I'd also prefer it if they were horrifying in the mornings and give the best kisses I've ever had. Think you can help me out?"

"Yup," I replied, popping the 'p'. "she's right here."

"That's my girl." Edward chuckled, leaning down to take my mouth against his again.

* * *

I stared at the sheets of paper in front of me, trying to get words to form, but failing miserably at it. During Edward's lunch break, we went to get a quick snack at the closest fast food restaurant to the hospital. We ended up eating in his car while I told him all about the out-of-the-blue shopping trip I had went on with Alice earlier. I specifically left out the part about me leaving Victoria's Secret with three bra and panty sets for myself, hoping he wouldn't ask if she had offered to get me anything from there. He didn't. Thank goodness.

He also told me about a patient named Bill who hated him at the hospital. When Edward had came in to check Bill's blood pressure, he kicked Edward's knee and demanded him to never touch him again. When I asked if he had any past drama with him, he said no and that the only reason why the patient hated him so much was because of his hair. Apparently, Bill was jealous of Edward's disarrayed hair since his was beginning to thin out.

I couldn't help but laugh as I remembered our conversation from the car. As bad as I felt that Edward had gotten kicked, it was too random and funny to _not_ laugh. I shook my head and focused my attention back on the pieces of paper scattered across my bed. Edward was off work, so he should've been coming at any minute.

I had gotten a good start on the essay, but now I was stumped again. In an attempt to get my mind going, I grabbed my pen and jotted on a blank sheet of paper.

_Week Two - Separation_

I chewed at the top of my pen and recalled every emotion I felt that day and a half I spent away from him.

_Lonely._

Was that all I felt? Just loneliness? There was more. There _had_ to be more.

_Lonely. Sad_.

"Arrrghhh!" I grumbled, scribbling out the words I came up with. Instead, I wrote down thoughts. They didn't make sense and some weren't even full sentences, but that's why this part of the process is called brainstorming. I was allowed to be disorganized with my thoughts for this part.

_Missing void. Alone. Anxious. Realized just how lonely I am without Edward. Missed him, a lot. Too much. Kisses, hugs, him next to me at night. Text message(s). Five-dollar bill. Message on cup. Reunited. Kissing on floor. Happy. Fulfilled. Adored._

I looked down at the various words now written across the piece of paper. I could make sense of it all later. Writing essays was something I was good at after all. I heard footsteps outside of my room as I got up and suddenly felt very excited. It meant Edward was here.

The door opened with Edward behind it, a bag of groceries in his left hand. I had given him the spare key I had lying around so he could get in and out without having to worry about too much. He had done the same for me. "Hey."

I smiled when he dropped the bag to his feet and took me in his arms for a welcome home hug. I loved his hugs because they always just seemed to get better. Every time he hugged me, it was better than the last. He buried his nose in the crook of my neck where he kissed softly, murmuring a soft "I missed you" against my skin.

"So, what have you been up to?" he asked, his lips still pressed against the flesh of my neck.

"Hmmm," I sighed, enjoying the feeling of his butterfly kisses. "I was trying to work on my essay, but I think I've got writer's block."

"Oh?" Edward asked as he moved the hair away from my face. "Maybe it's because you're working on an empty stomach. How about I get started on that candlelit dinner I promised you?"

"Sounds lovely." I replied gratefully, running my fingers through the messy bronze locks atop his head.

He groaned in response, tightening his grip around my waist. Edward had a strange fascination with me and his hair. He always seemed to like it a lot whenever I played with it that way. It was something I didn't really understand, but didn't care to question. If he liked it, he liked it, and I would keep doing it if it made him happy.

"Go and keep trying to work on it, Bella. I'll call you when dinner's ready."

I nodded and kissed him once more before returning to my room to attempt to get the separation part of my essay written. I don't know how long I sat on my bed, staring at my pieces of paper like I was trying to burn holes through them. The wonderful, mouth-watering aromas of whatever Edward was cooking reached my nose as I sighed in satisfaction, suddenly very eager to take a peek in the kitchen to see what we were having. I decided against it though, having realized it would've been better to be surprised.

Edward called me to the dining table after some time and I couldn't wait. As I walked in, I took a long whiff and my stomach rumbled in anticipation. It smelled absolutely delicious. We sat together at the table and I was too hungry to be polite about it. I dug in and felt like I had died and was sent to heaven. He told me it was linguine made with shrimp, garlic and olive oil in a light tomato sauce, garnished with a fresh scallop on top.

Edward was an amazing cook and I wouldn't have minded if we never went out again, so long as he could make fabulous meals like these.

"So," he took a sip of his water. "did you get anything done?"

I chewed on a shrimp and swallowed before answering, "Not much. Do you think you could help me actually? I need to sort out my ideas about the separation and your opinions and thoughts would help a lot. I can go get the papers right now actually,"

"No need, Bella." Edward stood up and put his napkin on the table. "Are they on your desk?"

I shook my head. "On the bed." He nodded and disappeared into my room as I twirled more pasta and popped it into my mouth. I groaned quietly at how divine it tasted. I couldn't believe my boyfriend was equivalent to a five-star chef.

"Bella." Edward's voice sounded stern and I knew he was most likely mad at me for how messy everything was in my room. I was about to tell him I'd get it all cleaned up before we headed to bed, until I saw him standing in the threshold of the door, a pink striped bag hanging from his index finger.

He did not look pleased, at all.

_Fuck_.

"Edward," I started, nervous because of how seemingly pissed off he was. I knew agreeing to let Alice buy it was a bad idea. "I can explain."

"Explain?" Edward growled, dropping the bag to the floor. Without warning, he grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the table to push me up against the wall. The thudding of my heart in my chest was probably loud enough for all of Seattle to hear as he leaned in closer. "When exactly were you planning on telling me about this?"

I gulped. "I didn't.. plan on telling you, at all. Alice bought them for me as a gift." Was he mad? I thought he might be a little iffy towards it, but I really didn't think he'd go all out pissed because of it. I made a mental note in my head to lecture Alice to never ever take me bra shopping again. I also made a note not to leave my shopping bags out on the floor of my room where they could easily be peered into. _Fuck._

He shook his head and pressed his lips against the crook of my neck, the warmth of his breath sending chills down my spine. "You decide on getting something as tempting as _that_, and you weren't even planning to show me? That is beyond unfair, Isabella."

My eyes widened at his words, suddenly realizing he wasn't mad at all.

He was mad that I hadn't told him about it earlier. Mad that I admitted I wasn't planning on showing him how I looked in it.

Oh, _god_.

Sergeant, Girly, and Girlfriend Bella were all fanning themselves, trying to calm down after all the sexy Edward had laid into the atmosphere.

"One of these days," He sucked at my neck softly, eliciting a whimper from my mouth as I buried my fingers into the mess of his hair. "and I don't care how long from now that is, but one of these days, I _will_ see you in that. Do you understand?"

My knees buckled underneath me, so I tightened my grip in his hair to hold myself steady. Where did this sexy Edward come from? This sexy Edward that was basically promising me he'd see me in the lingerie sets someday. It made me wonder which one he was referring to. And as if he read my mind, he spoke again.

"Every. Single. One."

His mouth was on mine in an instant, hungry and feverish as his arms locked around my waist. My body was thinking for me as I hitched my leg around his waist, completely caught up in the moment. He growled sexily against my lips and moved his hands to cup my thighs where he supported my weight. I tugged at his hair harder, wrapping my other leg around him as he pushed me up against the wall more.

Trust me when I say that there is nothing better than romantic Edward who I spent most of my time with. Romantic Edward was a sweetheart, caring, and the best boyfriend you could ever ask for.

_Sexy_ Edward on the other hand...

Let's just say, I could get used to Sexy Edward. I could get very used to Sexy Edward.

I never felt more attracted to Edward than I did in the heat of our passionate make out session against that wall. I felt like a teenager all over again as I ravaged his lips over and over again with kisses, letting our tongues explore the depths of each other's mouths while pulling, pushing, shoving against one another.

I thought the kiss the other night was different. I thought _that_ was intense.

That kiss had nothing on this one.

Evidence of Edward's enjoyment of the situation brushed against my inner thigh as I groaned involuntarily. It was the first time I had felt it against me since he usually pulled away before things ever got close to this point.

It made me wonder. Did Edward want to continue? Did he feel comfortable with this? Was he going to regret it in the morning?

"Edward," I panted against his mouth, at a total loss for words and breath. "Wait. Wait a minute."

"Why?" he whispered into the hollow of my throat. His grip tightened on the bottom of my thighs which made it almost impossible to focus on what I was trying to say.

"We can't do this, now." I was definitely going to kick myself later for spitting those words out. "I don't want you to regret anything later on. I know we're adults, and stuff like this inevitably happens, but--"

"Bella, you think that _I_ would be the one regretting this if it were to happen?" His smoldering green eyes locked on my brown ones. "You are, without a doubt, the most bewildering woman I've ever met. Here I am, acting like a sex-crazed teenager by attacking you like that, and you think _I'm_ going to regret it? You have got to be kidding me."

I bit my lip, shying away from his gaze. "You always stop us before it gets too heated. So, I thought, maybe, you were waiting for..." I trailed off with a quiet sigh.

Edward's chuckle surprised me as he pressed his lips to mine quickly before saying, "Oh, Bella. My sweet and ever so silly Bella. I thought you'd know that I was stopping us for _your_ sake. I'm not the one you have to be worrying about. I would love to share that experience with you, but I don't want YOU regretting it. So that's why I take my time with you, Bella. I don't want you to think I'm with you for that because I'm not. We will take that step when you decide you want to."

"You won't regret it? Even if I decided we should take that step tonight?" I wasn't going to suggest taking that step tonight because I still felt a little insecure about it. I needed a little more time to sort my emotions through.

"I could never regret sharing such a wonderful experience with you of all people." He crooned, caressing the side of my face gently. "But, not tonight, Bella. It's still too soon. Alright?"

I nodded and buried my face into his shoulder, glad we finally got that out of the way. "Thank you, Edward. For being so caring and for always thinking of me first." Nothing could ruin the happiness I was feeling. Nothing.

He smiled against my skin and kissed the top of my head gently before setting me back down on my feet. "Now that I've satisfied my Edward needs, would you like to finish your food?"

I laughed at his words and nodded as he took my hand in his back to the table. Before I sat down, a loud knock was at the door as Edward and I stared at each other in confusion. Who could it have been? I wasn't expecting any visitors. Unless Alice had accidentally gotten one of her shopping bags mixed up with one of mine?

I walked over to the door and opened it, fighting the urge to just slam it right back in his face because he was the last person I wanted to see after such a beautiful moment.

_Jacob._

So much for nothing ruining my happiness...

* * *

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**End of Chapter Seventeen**

* * *

**Author's Notes:** DUN DUN DUN! Jacob is BACK! -Cue thunder and dark clouds- I know you will all hate me for leaving it at that, and I'm sorry. -Runs-

BUT! How was that for a make out scene?! Blame The Notebook. I ended up watching it because I was looking through my DVDs. This scene was inspired by the on-the-wall make out scene in that movie. I know it may seem like they're moving a bit fast, but you have to remember they are adults and they also stopped! So you can't get too mad at them. But, c'mon! Sexy Edward needs him some sexual healing too, you know? ;D HAHAHA!

A picture of how I think Kate would look is on my profile underneath the _**Hello, Stranger**_ goodies. Go take a look if you want! Oh yeah, and the song Edward sings to Bella in the beginning is called "You Belong to Me" by Jason Wade. Lovely song, you should listen!

Very quick shout-out to **Lillie Cullen**, because the "Jasper liking pink" tidbit derives from her popular story _**A Lesson in Release**_ that is definitely worth looking at! Also check out the sequel _**A Lesson in Fate**_ that is equally great if you've got the time!

Alrighty everyone, I hope you enjoyed the chapter because I enjoyed writing it. Reviews would be nice, and they'd definitely make me very happy. Please and thank you! So, until next time then!

-_**BB**_


	18. Hey, Mr Wonderful

**Author's Notes:** So sorry for taking so long to update. I'm FINALLY on spring break! Thank goodness! I really need the break. School has been NUTS lately. But, the weather's been getting warmer in California, so I'm hoping I'll be able to go to the beach. YAY.

OH. MY. GOSH! **THANK YOU SO MUCH** to everyone for not only getting this story to 1,000 reviews, but for hitting 1,100! Since I last checked, there were 1,161 reviews, which means 200+ reviews since the last update and 123 alone from the last chapter! WOW. I'm so stoked. Many more thanks to every person who was new to this story and reviewed almost every chapter! I've got the best readers anyone could ever ask for! :)

So, thank you to everyone again! Expect another update in a few days since you are all so awesome!

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight!

* * *

**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Eighteen**

_**Hey, Mr. Wonderful**_

* * *

*********

**Edward Cullen**

You ever have one of those moments where it feels like all is right in the world? Like the universe decided, "Today is YOUR day, and nothing is going to ruin it"? I was having one of those days. My morning - despite having to work unexpectedly - started off great. I loved waking up with Bella next to me. It was so refreshing to be able to go to bed with her in my arms and get up the very next morning with her still there.

She even surprised me with a visit to the hospital during my break with a strawberry frap in hand, made especially for me. It tasted exquisite and I would've loved to drink more, but Bella literally attacked my lips and dropped it all on the floor. I didn't mind since what I got in return for the spilt drink was better. Much, _much_ better. Tanya witnessing was another benefit, if I do say so myself. Maybe she'd finally get the hint.

Not likely, but I could hope, right?

My shift flew by and before I knew it, I was back at her house and being welcomed by none other than Bella herself once again. We were going to have dinner together as always, but she needed help with ideas on how to push her essay further. So, I decided to be a nice boyfriend and spare her the trouble of retrieving them from her room.

I never expected to peer into one of her shopping bags and find the pink striped Victoria's secret bag she was trying to hide. I chuckled to myself when I pulled it out, thinking she probably just bought a pair of pajama pants and a tank top or something of the sort. Victoria's Secret lingerie for Bella? I don't think so. I was completely fine with that. She looked more like the type who'd prefer comfortable lingerie over the lacy push-up, I'm-going-to-seduce-you-tonight type of lingerie anyway.

I was wrong.

So, so wrong.

You want to know what was in that bag?

_Definite_ seducible material in midnight blue, pink, and black. There was lace. Ribbons. Ties. I don't know what else, but I wasn't complaining.

Oh. Hell. _Yeah_!

The universe was definitely on my side.

My parents always raised me to have the utmost respect for women and to remember to be a gentleman at all times. I was definitely a gentleman when I needed to be.

But even _I_ couldn't be a gentleman about finding something like _that_ in my girlfriend's bedroom. Blame the guy side of me that Emmett was responsible for. Countless nights with him underneath the same roof as we grew up together tends to take its toll on you at one point or another.

And lingerie that... _tempting_ would not be hidden from my eyes with clothes if I had anything to do with it. I'd make damn sure I'd see Bella someday in those sets. _Someday_.

But if she were hiding them, did she really want to show me? Or was it supposed to be a surprise? Oh, damn it all to hell. I didn't care why she bought them, I was just glad she bought them at all. I'd have to remember to thank Alice since it was most likely her doing.

Now what could be better than finding that Victoria's Secret bag? Getting to push Bella up against that wall for the best kiss I think I've ever had, period. It was hard to lock down the part of me that just wanted to have my lips on hers at all times whenever she was so very close within my grasp.

Her scent was like a drug to me. Intoxicating, wonderful, enthralling. I never knew a mixture of freesia, lavender, and strawberries would be my undoing.

Her mouth against mine, her hands in my hair, and her legs around my waist all worked together to drive me to the highest brink of insanity. I was losing every bit of control I had built within myself as she tugged at me, making delightful little whimpers that kept egging me on to continue.

I swear I was having the perfect night.

That is, until that dog-faced Jacob Black showed up at her doorstep like he had done so previously. I thought after Bella set him straight, I wouldn't have to worry about him anymore. Apparently, I thought wrong.

Damn moronic and persistent pup! He never failed to annoy the fucking daylights out of me.

"Bella," I heard him from where I was standing. "before you shut the door on my face, just give me a chance to get a word out. I'm not here to beg you to take me back, honest."

She crossed her arms and leaned against the frame of the door, her hand hovering above the handle. "Alright. So, what _are _you here for then?"

Jacob sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Your boyfriend isn't going to like this very much, but hell, I thought I'd give it a shot."

I didn't like the sound of it already. Anytime Bella was alone with Jacob, she'd either come back crying or was extremely pissed off. Hell, she once even came back with a messed up hand because of how big of an idiot he was.

"You can at least _try_ to look happy to see me, Bells." Jacob insisted, giving her a small smile.

"You know, Jacob," I spat, incredibly irritated. I didn't give a damn if I was being rude by peering into his conversation. "I have a friend I'd like to introduce you to sometime. Her name's Tanya Denali. I'm sure you two would get along very well since you have so much in common. You're both persistent, demanding. _Annoying_."

"Edward," Bella looked over her shoulder at me before turning back to Jacob. "Now's not such a great time, Jake."

"I just need some advice, Bells. You're the first one I thought to run to. I know things haven't exactly been that great between us, but I need you right now. We could go get some burgers or something? I promise there won't be any funny business." He placed his hand on her hip and for some reason, I lost it.

I didn't usually get jealous. It was an emotion I wasn't too acquainted with because I never had a reason to be before.

My hands balled up into fists as I stomped over to where they both stood and knocked his hand away, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Here's some advice for you: leave."

"I wasn't asking you, Cullen." Jacob stood his ground, making it obvious he was not going to leave without a fight. "So unless you're a brown haired female I've known all my life, I'll have to ask you to step aside."

"Jake, Edward, stop it." Bella said again, tensing up beneath me. I could tell she was uncomfortable with her current boyfriend and her ex boyfriend confronting one another in her apartment because, hell, who wouldn't be?

"Bells, it's about Leah. I'm screwing up badly and I really need your help." He leaned more towards her again, his brows furrowing in determination.

"Jesus Christ, Jacob. Boo fucking hoo. You ever think that the reason why you can't ever give Leah your undivided attention is because your big head is wrapped too much around my girlfriend?"

"Edward," Her tone was sharp and I knew she was getting mad because of how I was acting.

I didn't even know why I was acting the way I was. Managing my temper was something I prided myself in all the time. If I got frustrated or upset, I could deal with it completely fine. It never used to be a problem.

"If I remember clearly, she was _my_ girlfriend before you came along, Cullen."

That is the exact reason why I always lost it whenever Jacob Black was around.

Because he was so drowned within his own denial that it became too much for me to just ignore. Even a straight-out speech from Bella herself was not enough to get the point into his goddamned thick headed skull.

"Don't blame me for being there for Bella when you arrogantly decided to cheat on her." I spat, my voice laced with heated anger. "If she wanted you, don't you think she'd be with you right now and not me?"

That obviously set him off since he shoved at my chest roughly, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He ignored Bella's rants and stared me right in the eye, "Keep talking and I'll beat your face in, right in front of your girlfriend. "

He was closer to me than I would have allowed, so I shoved him right back with a little more force. "Oh, really? I'd highly doubt that, but glad to know you can finally admit that Bella's mine."

"Both of you!" Bella hissed, shoving both of us away from each other. She turned to Jacob and gave him a hard glare, looking as if she wanted to burn a hole right through his forehead. I'd rejoice if she could do so. "You expect me to go get a burger with you and chat leisurely about your problems with your new girlfriend that you _left_ me for? I told you, Jacob, I am not ready for things to be 'back to normal' between us. How could they ever be after such a small length of time?"

"Bells, I'm sorry--"

"Dammit, Jacob Black, _fucking listen_ to me for once!"

The authority in her voice surprised us both. She took the opportunity to continue.

"I've told you once, I've told you twice. Again and again, and I'm getting so fucking frustrated because I don't know what else to do to make you understand! How many times do I have to tell you to shut up with the apologies? How many times do I have to get mad at you until you realize I just want you to leave me alone for now? Is it really that hard for you to read my lips?"

Jacob didn't say a word, having learned his lesson after being snapped at the first time. Bella was serious this time and I'm pretty sure he knew that now. She was literally shaking with anger and I wanted nothing more than to take a hard swing at his face. I had a pretty kickass right hook, if I do say so myself.

"You want my advice, Jacob? Leave. And go to Leah. If you're having problems, talk with her about it. Not me. Dammit."

Without warning, she kicked the door closed and locked it. I was able to get a good look at the scowl on Jacob's face beforehand. Good fucking riddance if you ask me.

She sighed heavily and rubbed at her temples, clearly aggravated at what had just happened. So much for a nice dinner and a perfect evening. Maybe the universe wasn't so much on my side as I had previously thought. I could tell Bella was in no mood to eat anymore, so I picked her up gently and walked the short distance to her room to sit her down on the bed.

She sat in silence as I smoothed down her hair and kissed her forehead softly, resting my palms against either side of her neck. "Bella, are you alright?"

Her eyelids fluttered closed as she rested her forehead against mine. "Can you give me a moment?"

I nodded and kissed the top of her head. "Of course."

With a run of my fingers through my hair, I stepped out and closed the door behind me, deciding our dinner wasn't going to be touched anymore tonight. I packed her food and mine into separate Tupperware bowls and placed them in the fridge so we could reheat it tomorrow. Grudgingly, I grabbed the two cups filled halfway with red wine and poured them both down the sink. That wine was not cheap and it pissed me off that it had to go to waste because of Jacob.

Once I was done clearing the table and had the dishes we used washed, I went back to Bella's room and knocked lightly on the door. Her quiet approval of me coming in was all I needed as I turned the knob and made my way back to her. I figured she was annoyed that her hair was such a mess since she had played with it involuntarily when Jacob came and shooed me out to brush it a bit. Her breath also smelled fresh when she began speaking.

"God, Edward, I'm so sorry about him. I can't even imagine how annoyed you must be. I'm sorry."

I chuckled softly and got down on my knees so I didn't tower over her. "Why are you apologizing? You're here with me, aren't you?"

Bella's eyes still told me she was very upset about Jacob's random appearance, which was clearly understandable. Regardless of how over him I already knew she was, no person wants to talk to their ex about their new relationship that early on. I had no doubt in my mind the emotions Bella had for me. I never had to question whether or not she had strong feelings for me because it was obvious she did.

But, Jacob wounded her much deeper than any regular boyfriend could. Because he was not just that boyfriend figure for her, but also the one best friend she had confided everything in. The best friend she had known and grown up with for years since she was a child. I suppose that's why everyone would always say a break up would be harder on someone when they fell for their best friend.

The strings all get tangled. Everything gets complicated. And it probably feels like the best thing at the time because you know that person almost as well as you know yourself. But when it all falls apart, what do you do? You try to save your friendship because that's what your relationship grew off of. You tell yourself, "We'll always be friends" and you believe it for a while.

If only things were that easy.

You take one look at them and remember all the good times and the bad times. The tears. The smiles. The joy and laughter. The heartache and pain. And then you're torn between continuing to hurt yourself over what used to be to preserve your friendship or dealing with the struggles of letting them go, friendship and all.

It sounds hard. I can't even imagine how it must feel. But I imagine it doesn't feel all that great.

I didn't want Bella to feel perturbed over the confrontation with Jacob. I was there now. Bella was my girlfriend, and I her boyfriend. I'd make her forget Jacob and Leah and everything else that had to do with them.

This was her and I. This was Bella and Edward. This was, _us_.

I moved the sweep of hair that fell towards her eyes, "Tell me what I can do so you'll feel better, please?"

Her hands ghosted over my forearms as she locked her gaze with mine. No tears, thank goodness. She had cried enough over Jacob Black and I was so damn proud of her for keeping her cool even though he had once again succeeded in pushing her buttons. "Just... be with me? That's all I want, Edward. Just you."

"I'm here, Bella. Tell me something else. Anything. You deserve it after how well you handled yourself back there."

"I want," She swallowed cautiously, tightening her grip on my arms. "Kiss me, Edward."

That was easy. I leaned in the few inches and locked our lips together in a soft and gentle kiss. Her grip tightened again, surprising me a bit as I pulled away. "Bella?"

She shook her head at me. "No, not like that. Like earlier. Kiss me like you did earlier, Edward. Please."

My eyes widened slightly at her request, but when she pulled me back to her mouth, all hesitation floating around inside of me dissipated into nothingness. The fiery passion I had felt earlier built itself back up as she tangled her fingers into my hair and tugged on it lightly with a gentle caress of her tongue on my bottom lip. I unthinkingly let out a soft groan at her ministrations, pushing her down so her back met with the soft mattress beneath us.

She made it clear earlier - we would not make love tonight. Believe it or not, I was fine with that. Not only did I know she was not ready, but I wasn't either. Not in the mental or physical sense, but I wasn't ready, protection wise. One day, someday.

"Edward," Bella breathed below me, her mid-length hair gloriously scattered all across the bed. "What's wrong?"

I didn't even notice I wasn't paying much attention to the gorgeous woman beneath me since I was too caught up in my own thoughts about what I'd like to do with her, someday. Stupid, Edward. Stupid. "Nothing. Nothing at all." I leaned down and moved my lips with hers again, reveling in the sensation that flooded throughout me as her tongue touched mine.

She whimpered, quite a lovely sound if I may point out, and let her fingers dance on my torso. They made their way to the hem of the top of my work outfit, where she broke away quickly to ask for permission for removal. I gladly conceded and lifted my arms to assist her, unable to hide my boyish grin when she tossed it aside.

"Like what you see, Bella?" I teased.

That cute giggle that associated so well with the flush on her cheeks echoed in her quiet room. "I've always liked you shirtless." Her small hands caressed every part of my chest, and that alone was enough to make me hum in satisfaction. She had no idea how much she could do to me with such little effort.

"Wait?" She sounded surprised at god knows what, which in turn, made me wonder what she was surprised over.

"What?" I asked, watching as her eyes moved lower. Fucking great. She was probably getting scared because of how turned on I was over making out and her touching my chest. What the hell was I, a freaking teenager for goodness sakes?

Her thumb gently caressed my left hip bone and I suddenly realized what she must have found that piqued her curiosity. "Crap," I muttered. "I didn't think you'd notice that." I really couldn't tell if she was weirded out by it or not.

"What is it?" she asked, sounding genuinely interested.

"It was a surprise from Alice, Emmett, and I for Carlisle's birthday a few years ago. Since we're all adopted, we wanted to do something to show him how much we love him as our father. When Alice was old enough since she's the youngest of us, we got this tattooed on various parts of ourselves. It's meant to symbolize our family, you could say."

Bella smiled at me and continued to caress it gently with her thumb. "Can you explain its meaning?"

I couldn't help but smile back at her. "Well, we wanted something unique - something nobody else would have. The lion in the middle represents the strength Carlisle has given us. The three shamrocks below are each of us and how lucky we feel to be a part of the Cullen family."

"And the hand at the top?"

"It's a pledge of sincerity and faith - that no matter where we are or where we'll be, that we'll always remain Cullen's."

She surprised the hell out of me by scooting herself down to place her lips on the permanent mark, giving it the softest kiss that still managed to send electricity through my flesh. And if she didn't scoot herself back up to eye level in two seconds...

"That's the sweetest thing ever," Thank goodness she moved back up. "Did he like it? Was he surprised?"

I chuckled softly at the memory. "Yes, he was very touched. It was the first time I think Carlisle ever choked up in front of us. He told us how much he loved us and that he was never prouder to be our father."

Bella's smile graced her features again as she caressed my cheek with her right hand and stroked my arm softly with her left. "I can't believe I didn't notice this at the beach!"

"You can be quite unobservant at times, Bella." I laughed, nuzzling my face into the crook of her neck. She smelled so good, I really don't know how she did it.

"And you all have this tattoo?"

I nodded. "We all picked spots for each other. Emmett's is on his right arm and Alice has hers behind her left shoulder. I didn't think Alice would be one to screw me over, but she did when she settled on my hip as the spot to get it. The artist laughed at me because he said it was a feminine spot. You'd never think it was a girl thing because it hurt like hell. It always hurts more on the bone."

She laughed and kissed my lips to try and erase the pout that was there. "Well, _I_ like it. It's not the typical place you'd see a guy have a tattoo. I think it's a sexy spot."

My lips curved up into a crooked grin as I trapped her face between my hands, resting all my weight on my elbows so I didn't crush her. "You like it?"

"Very much." She grabbed onto the hair at the nape of my neck to pull me closer to her lips. "Now that you've distracted me, are you going to continue to kiss me properly, Edward?"

Oh, hell.

I can't even put into words how outrageously sexy my Bella was becoming.

She smiled against my lips when I finally gave in and kissed her again.

For a while, I was cautious with the approach I took to our relationship because of how things had recently come to an end with her and Jacob. But hell, I wasn't counting how many days it had been since we had been official anymore. I, honestly, could care less. Alice was right, you just can't put a time limit on your emotions.

Especially not if those emotions run all the way back five years. Five years ago, I never even thought it possible to be like this with her. Five years ago, I wanted so desperately to trace my lips over every scar she ever had. Over every wound and every bruise.

And here I was, Bella beneath me, relishing in the fact that she was mine. Her lips, her stomach, her legs, her hands, her fingers, mine.

All mine.

* * *

The sun shone in brightly through Bella's bedroom the next morning. I let my eyes get adjusted to the brightness before I stretched my arms out and yawned, smiling down at the brunette still fast asleep on my chest. It was Saturday and neither of us had work, so we'd finally get to spend a whole day together.

Sure, we saw each other every day since we were technically living underneath the same roof, but it just wasn't enough. So I was a selfish bastard and wanted all the time I could get with Bella. What's wrong with that?

I didn't have the heart to wake her up this time. She looked so peaceful and at ease that I decided I'd spare her a rude awakening I'd constantly bombarded her with. A whole day with Bella. This time, selfish old me wanted her to myself. No Alice or Emmett or Jasper or Rose. I couldn't even think of something I wanted to do other than be in her presence. I'd be more than happy with staying in bed and cuddling with her all day, but we did that every night so today called for something a little more... outgoing.

I kissed her temple softly before I jumped in the shower and tried to think of something. We had gone ice skating, been to the beach, seen the sunrise, jumped carelessly on trampolines, took a mini road trip back to Forks, and gone to a party together. What hadn't we done together? I rinsed the strawberry shampoo out of my hair and hummed to myself in thought. An idea sprung to me as I hopped out of the shower and walked out of the bathroom with nothing but my boxer shorts on. Bella was still fast asleep when I grabbed my phone off its charger, going down to one of the first names on my list. It rang a few times before the tinkling voice answered, "Hello?"

"Alice. Good morning."

"Morning, Edward. What's up?"

I smiled and ran the towel through my hair a few times to get it to dry. "That event thing that you're a part of... It's today, right?"

* * *

"Will you please tell me what we're doing today?" Bella asked for the millionth time.

I chuckled and squeezed her hand I was holding in assurance. "Be patient. We're almost there." Bella had slept in until about eleven or so, making sure to apologize even though I was hardly upset. I told her I had plans for the day so she showered and got ready while I reheated our dinner from the previous night on her stovetop. It was already a bit late for breakfast anyway.

Alice's "event" wasn't until later on, so Bella and I decided to stroll through downtown Seattle to kill time after we took our time eating. It was a comforting way to start the afternoon. We walked for blocks and just talked about everything from why label brands were such a big deal to why the sky was blue.

That was one of the things I liked most about Bella. She didn't need to be taken out to fancy dinners or given thousand-dollar shopping sprees to be happy. She was happy enough being with me, holding my hand in hers, and kissing innocently at crosswalks as we waited our turn to cross the street. It was more than I ever thought I'd be lucky enough to have.

We made various stops at book stores, shops, and even sampled some gelato that tasted exquisite. Bella bought a few things like scented candles and a book that had caught her eye, while I bought a new baseball bat and some kind of candy Bella seemed to be really fond of. I had been through downtown Seattle more than a few times, but never had a significant other to do so with. Like I said, it was comforting.

Time passed quicker than I realized and when I looked at my watch, it was already 6pm. We made our way to my planned destination and Bella, being as curious as ever, wouldn't let up on the questions.

I parked my car in an empty space in the lot, smiling at the way Bella's eyes lit up when she got out. "You seriously know how to make someone feel like a little kid again." She laughed and put her hand in mine as we started our walk towards the carnival that was set up.

"Alice is working at a booth tonight to promote Sky High. She didn't tell you about it?"

She shook her head, excitedly looking around at everything as I paid our entrance fees. "No. I haven't been to a carnival since I was like, seven."

I chuckled at how enthusiastic she was. Her strength surprised as she dragged me from one place to another. First she was gawking at cotton candy and the next she was screaming in delight over a sample of kettle corn a worker had given her. I found an opportunity to try and win her something at a booth where you had to knock down bottles with a baseball. What could've been easier to a guy who absolutely loved playing the sport?

I easily knocked down all bottles in each of the three tries I was given and won Bella the biggest prize the booth had to offer - a gigantic stuffed unicorn. We both laughed hysterically at the size of the thing, noting it was pretty much half of Bella's body.

"Oh, Edward. I've always wanted a pony with one horn. How did you know?" she teased, hugging the plush to her body.

I shrugged my shoulders and kissed her forehead with a crooked grin, "It's not too shabby for five bucks. At least tell me you'll keep it?"

"You won it for me with your impressive pitching skills, so of course I'll keep it. Thank you." She pecked my lips softly as we continued our venture through the various booths of the carnival. Bella tried her hand at a booth with darts and won me a small flamingo plush since she had managed to strike four balloons out of the seven she was supposed to hit. She was upset she couldn't win something huge, but I promised I loved it regardless and thanked her with a kiss.

We finally found Alice a booth where she and Jasper were painting various objects and patterns onto children's faces. They set up the booth to promote Sky High, with flyers scattered all about the table in front of them. A donation box was set up near the paints as well. I figured Jasper was being a good boyfriend and helping Alice out like the nice guy he was. As I looked over to him, I couldn't help but laugh at the giraffe painted on one side of his face.

"A giraffe, eh? Good choice." I chuckled, noticing Alice had one on her face as well.

"Shut up, Edward. It's the only thing we're both really good at painting and we had to try it on each other first." Alice laughed, sticking her tongue out as she motioned Bella to sit in front of her. "What do you want, Bella?"

"You, too, Edward." Jasper laughed, patting the seat next to him. "I'll paint you something good."

Bella and I looked at each other and agreed to let them pick whatever they wanted. We weren't allowed to tell one another until it was fully finished though. I watched as Alice and Bella made idle chit chat, laughing here and there about something I couldn't quite hear over the laughter and squeals of the rest of the people around me.

"So, Edward," Jasper's hint of a southern drawl came out. "How are things with you and Bella? Good?"

"Great."

"That's good to hear." he grinned, dipping his brush into another color. "It's nice to see you so lively, you know? I think Bella brings out the best in you."

I couldn't have agreed more.

"Are you excited for Peterson's three-week mark?" Jasper chuckled, dragging the brush down the right side of my cheek.

"How about you make things easier and tell me what it is?"

He chuckled again and shook his head. "No can do, Edward. If I didn't get to know beforehand, neither do you."

After a few more minutes, both Alice and Jasper were done. I couldn't help the loud laugh that erupted from me when I saw what was on Bella's face. I nearly died because it looked so funny. Alice huffed and smacked me across my clean cheek with the paint brush, leaving a thick black line of paint. I still couldn't stop laughing. I honestly didn't even know what the hell it was. It just looked hilarious. I thought it was a cotton ball, or a cloud. She was even more pissed that I had "insulted" her art and claimed it was a lamb.

Okay, I guess I could kind of see that. A happy lamb? I _think_ it was happy. I couldn't really tell. She also painted a heart on the other side of Bella's face with the letters "EC" inside. I had to smile at that, regardless of how funny her other cheek was. I almost died again just thinking about it.

Jasper ended up painting a lion that both Alice and Bella claimed to be the most adorable lion they'd ever seen. He smiled at the compliment and even painted a heart next to the mark Alice had made on my free cheek to match Bella.

Alice ended up taking a Polaroid picture of Bella and I after our faces were finished since it was the other activity they did for their booth. She took two, one for Bella and one for me as well. I ended up donating money anyway, earning a kiss on the cheek and a "thank you for coming" from my sister. As much as she annoyed me, she was still my sister and I loved her and would do anything for her.

Even if it meant trying not to laugh at her horrendous attempt at painting a lamb. Again, I almost died.

After a nighttime ride on the ferris wheel and a stroll through some tent with really weird mirrors that made me look short and fat, Bella and I headed back, prizes, cotton candy, and kettle corn in hand. We had snacked on hot dogs, so I didn't feel like eating when we finally got inside her apartment. I went to her room and set the flamingo she had won for me and the Polaroid of us down on top of my box of things. When it was time to switch places again, I made sure to bring those with me.

With a glance at the mirror, I laughed at the lion on my face, realizing it was really was quite cute. Stupid Jasper for getting me to admit I thought a lion was "cute".

I brushed my teeth and once I was finished, Bella wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me with a smile. "Hey, Mr. Wonderful."

"Hey, yourself." My arms wrapped around her waist to pull her closer to me.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" I asked against her lips.

"How do you always make me feel like I'm the luckiest girl alive, Edward?" Her eyes softened as she brushed stray strands of my hair from my face. "You constantly surprise me. You treat me so well. You always take things slow. You make me not even care about what happened with Jacob. You even make me _glad_ that the whole Jacob-Leah accident happened because if not, I wouldn't be with you right now."

"Silly Bella," I chuckled, leaning down to press my lips against the spot right below her ear. That was just as much of a weak spot for her as it was for me. "You don't have to question it. Is it not enough for us just to be together?"

She smiled at me again and pulled on the collar of my shirt so our lips met again. It started out slow and soft, her lips moving against mine gently as her breath washed over my mouth in feather-like caresses. Bella's fingertips ghosted over the dried paint on the side of my face while her other hand pushed my chest into the wall behind me. It wasn't a rough shove but it wasn't gentle either. I peered into her eyes and saw something I didn't think would be there.

_Desire_.

Her mouth was on mine again in a second and all the softness was gone. The kiss was more fervent, more passionate as the fire inside of me blazed to be closer to her. Sensing every bit of reluctance gone, I picked her up and she hitched both her legs around my waist as she had done the night before.

No one was going to interrupt us this time.

And whoever felt bold enough to do so better be ready to swallow my goddamned wrath. Heed my warning, Jacob Black and Tanya Denali. Stay. The. Hell. Away.

I let Bella fall to the bed once I reached it, her fingers lacing through my hair, our lips not breaking away for even a second. Every time I had thought of this moment replayed itself through my head as I tried to realize it was _actually_ happening. My tongue caressed her lower lip and a soft moan escaped her as she pulled me closer.

I was losing my mind with want, desire, and need. I was trying so hard to be the gentleman I knew I could be, trying so hard to be the gentleman I knew I was. But her lips being so urgent on mine was making things really difficult.

"Edward, wait," Her mouth broke off mine for just a second as she attempted to lift my shirt off. I complied and lifted my arms up, returning back to her mouth shortly after. It came as a surprise when she didn't stop me like she had against the wall the other night. I was ready for her to prevent us from going further, but she kept going. Kept moving her lips against mine, kept stroking the planes of my chest, kept touching her tongue to mine in such a heated manner.

She would never understand how much of an affect she had on me.

_Damn_.

God, how I wanted to see her without her shirt on. The day at the beach seemed like so long ago and the testosterone driven part of me ached to see her like that again. Her body was so perfect. It angered me sometimes that she hid such a great figure behind such unfitting clothes. I moved my hands to the small sliver of bare skin along her midriff. Her black v-necked long sleeve was riding up and I wanted nothing more than to tear it off her like the caveman she claimed I was before.

"Stop being so safe with me, Edward." Bella whispered against my lips, taking my hand and moving it underneath her shirt to where I could feel her bra. Holy shit. _Holy shit_. "I am an adult and so are you. If you want to see me, then just freaking take off my shirt."

Her initiative stopped me for a second. I couldn't believe she just demanded I take off her top! I had been worrying about trying to be a gentleman and Bella just made me grope her. What the hell? My Bella? Wow. My feisty, provocative Bella I didn't even know existed was making an appearance and I liked it. I liked it _a lot_. "Why is this Feisty Bella all of a sudden here?" I chuckled, sliding her shirt up her torso.

"Because Sexy Edward came out to play." She winked and I swear the universe was on my side again. Thank you, universe. Thank you, god. You all treat me so well.

"Sexy Edward, eh?" I took a liking to the nickname and finally managed to get her shirt off. If I thought the universe was on my side a few seconds ago, I knew now, that the universe was definitely, _definitely_ on my side.

Goddamn it all to hell and back. Bella was wearing the set. The midnight blue set, the one I wanted to see the most. And I thought it looked good by itself. Jesus Christ, I'd never look at lingerie the same way ever again unless it was on Isabella Marie Swan's body. I took in the sight of her and I could've sworn I was actually drooling. She looked amazing in a bathing suit, but _damn_.

"Surprise." Bella smiled, her cheeks flushed from the way I was looking at her. To my astonishment, she moved my hands to the button of her jeans, allowing me to do the rest. "You're not a teenager, Edward. Stop staring at me like I'm the first girl you've seen."

"Sorry if you looking like that," I pointed to her damned sexy bra. "is distracting me."

I undid the button and unzipped the zipper, hearing her gasp quietly as I slowly pulled the jeans off her legs. I kissed down her thighs as the fabric came off, getting lost in the feeling of her soft skin on mine along with the feeling of her fingers weaving through my hair. It was already obvious she'd be wearing the matching panties, but I couldn't help but groan in approval at the sight. I stood back and got a good long look at the beautiful woman in front of me, still trying to figure out how I got so lucky.

"Edward, you are killing my buzz!" Her accusation caught me off guard. Before I could reply, she pulled me down on the bed and held my shoulders down. Wow. Now she was impatient, aggressive Bella. Impressive.

She smiled warmly at me to let me know she wasn't actually mad and pressed her lips to mine once, twice, three times before making her way down my neck. Her lips danced over the sensitive spot below my ear and my eyes fluttered closed. Just as she had a few nights ago, she suckled at the skin there and sent my mind spiraling into a hazy atmosphere of desire.

"God, Bella," I groaned as she continued to place butterfly kisses down my chest. She was igniting a larger fire in me as she finally reached the button of my pants. Her face blushed an even darker shade of red as she ran her hand lightly across the zipper of my jeans, eliciting a hiss from me at how good it felt.

"Did you like that?" Bella asked, shyly meeting my gaze as she began to pull my pants down.

Was this really going to happen? Tonight? With Bella?

Emmett told me once before about him and Rosalie even though I really didn't want to know. It had happened quicker than he expected but he said he wouldn't have changed it for anything.

"You don't plan things like that, man. Sometimes, the mood is just right, the feelings are just there, and it just happens." He told me that. I never understood what he meant until now.

Everything was right. Right time, right place, right moment.

I was ready. Bella was ready. We were both ready, to take our relationship to the next level.

I knew so much about Bella already. I knew her favorite color, what type of music she listened to, what she loved to do in her free time, her middle name, her family history, her least favorite memory, and so much more. I had learned so much about her in the little time we had together, but it wasn't enough for me just yet.

I wanted to know Bella's body. I knew the color of her eyes and the shape of her lips and how her hands felt upon mine, but I wanted to know more.

My thoughts escaped me as soon as she moved her hands up my now bare thighs. Her touch was so gentle and still managed to set my skin afire.

"Is this okay?" Bella asked as she kissed the tops of my thighs like I had done to her earlier.

"Yes, Bella, god, you can't imagine how good that feels."

I couldn't take anymore and pulled her so her lips were back on mine. I needed the distraction, otherwise I'd end up shoving her on the bed and taking her like a damn animal with how lust-driven I was beginning to feel.

I would not do that to Bella. Some guys are fine with the whole one night sexcapade and then leaving first thing in the morning. Rough, uncaring, no strings attached type of thing. I would not be that for Bella. I would never be that for Bella.

"Edward," she murmured against my lips. "Edward, you... I'm so lucky. To have you, Edward. I'm so lucky. Thank you."

Her babbling sent my heart soaring even though I know that wasn't her intention. I couldn't even believe how strong my feelings had grown for her in such a short period of time.

_There are no time limits when it comes to your emotions_.

Could I really?

After about three weeks of knowing her and five years of wanting her?

Was it really possible?

Isabella Marie Swan. _My_ Isabella Marie Swan.

God, _yes_, I could.

Alice and Jasper got us exactly. The lion and the lamb.

It was possible. Definitely possible.

_Edward, sometimes you just can't help what you feel for someone. You can't help what you feel for her._

And it was finally beginning to hit me.

With Bella pressed against my body and her lips against my own and her fingers entwined with mine, I realized I was falling. Faster, deeper, madly I was falling. _Effortlessly_ falling.

I was a lion falling in love with a lamb.

I was Edward Cullen falling in love with Bella Swan.

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**End of Chapter Eighteen  
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Author's Notes:** So, are you all going to hate me for ending the chapter without any action? *Runs* I have to know first, if a lemon is wanted and/or needed. Yes, I said LEMON. I've been thinking about it for a while, but I need your guys' opinions! Too soon? Unneeded? Let me know!

Oh, yes, Edward is falling in love. I don't care who thinks it's too fast! You can't help that kind of thing! Am I right or am I right? Leave Sexy Edward alone, he can be Loving Edward too if he wants! :)

Edward's tattoo? I don't care if it's feminine. I once saw a swimmer with a tattoo there and dear god, it was seriously one of the sexiest things I've ever seen. Especially if they're toned and stuff? *Swoon*

By the way, pictures of the stuffed animals, the tattoo (it's the Cullen Crest from the movie) and Bella and Edward's lion/lamb face paint is on my profile! I've also made another banner and put up one a friend made with all the Bella's! Yay! Go check it out! You know you want to!

Reviews please? They really, really make my day!

--_**BB**_


	19. Attention, WalMart Shoppers

**Author's Notes:** This is a long author's note. I warned you! So, where to begin? Ah, I know.

I posted a little note last chapter about a lemon, and if it was wanted/needed. The response was absolutely overwhelming, giving me the thumbs up to do the Edward/Bella lemon... but, (yes, you're all going to hate me for the but being there) that is not taking place in this chapter. *Shields self* I repeat, **the lemon is NOT in this chapter**.

Rest assured, there WILL be one. I promise. There will be. But, people are allowed to change their mind and I decided to change mine. Some very helpful reviews made me realize Edward and Bella have never really talked about that, and I think it'd be very OOC for them to jump right into sex. OOC for MY versions of Edward and Bella at least. So, be nice and just give it a few more chapters. Give Sexy Edward and Feisty Bella a little more time to acquaint themselves with one another, yes? ;) So, try to keep the flames to a minimum please?

Now! Holy cow you guys are all sorts of awesome! 171 reviews on the last chapter alone? Thank you so much for not only 1,200 reviews but for 1,300 as well. And holy crap, almost 1,400. I've said this before, but I've got the best readers and reviewers in the world! If I could send Sexy Edward to every single one of you guys, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Thank you again so much!

Edward and Bella get some sexy time in this chapter, so feel free to skip over it if you please!

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.

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**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Nineteen**

_**Attention, WalMart Shoppers**_

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**Bella Swan**

_Oh my god oh my god oh my god_.

Not only was I in bed in the raciest set of lingerie I owned, but I was in bed in the raciest set of lingerie I owned, on freaking top of Edward Cullen.

Edward was in his boxers, by the way. _Just_ his boxers. Girlfriend and Girly Bella had absolutely nothing to say, unless you count delighted shrieks and pansy jumps as speaking. I expected Sergeant Bella at least to scream at me and wave my morals in my face, but she held her tongue and clapped from where she was.

In fact, all the Bella's were pretty much just sitting back and enjoying the show. And they were _smirking_, as if they were proud of the new "Feisty Bella", as Edward had put it. How dare they! _Traitors_. Every single one of them.

My heart was beating louder than it ever had in my life and I was more than certain Edward heard and felt it since there wasn't much of a barrier between us anymore. He tugged at my lip softly with his teeth as I involuntarily whimpered and pressed myself harder into him. I didn't mean to, but I did, and he seemed to like it since he gripped my hips tighter.

I suddenly wished I had thought more about this. Maybe read a few articles in those girl magazines on how to react in a situation like this. Granted, I knew _what_ happened in situations like this. I knew very well where all this kissing, touching, and lack of clothes would lead to.

I was just clueless on how the hell to get to that point.

Do I just... _strip_? Wait, no. You strip and get right down to it when you're very much in the mood and just want to have at it already. I was in the mood, yes. But at the same time I didn't want it to be something I'd question myself about later on.

I wanted to go slow. Yes, that's the word I was looking for, slow.

And Sergeant Bella smacked me upside the head for it.

"Bella," Edward released my hips and covered his face, groaning loudly. It wasn't even one of those good groans; it was more of a frustrated sounding one. "I can't do this on my own. Would you help me out?"

I raised a brow down at him, utterly confused. "What?"

He pointed to my mouth. "I have been trying to kiss you, but you're just sitting there. It's really awkward to try and kiss your girlfriend when she's not even moving her lips."

It dawned on me then that I had completely spaced out on Edward. Sergeant Bella was at ease with a mallet in her hands, ready to smack the living daylights out of me if I did it again.

His hand went to my long hair, pushing it gently off my shoulders so he could see my face better. "Bella, is everything alright?"

Yes, Edward. I'm just having an internal debate with all my alter egos about how to do this the right way. So, please forgive my awkward inexperience with this and go back to looking scrumptious, damn you. Yeah, right! I can't tell him that!

"Nervous?"

I let out a soft sigh and ran my finger down the dried lion on the side of his face. He could read me like an open book. "A little bit."

Edward gave me my favorite crooked grin and pulled me down so I was lying next to him, my head resting his shoulder. "We've never really talked about this, have we?"

I shook my head and caressed the smoothness of his chest absent mindedly. "No, and I'm sorry. I got a little too carried away."

"Would you quit apologizing? You do it too much."

Another sigh escaped my body and a quick peek down to where his tattoo was located informed me I had completely ruined the moment. If something like this was going to happen between us someday, then I'd have to throw the whole truth out there. I'd embarrass myself by telling him I was twenty-one years old and was still in possession of my V-card but I couldn't find it in myself to keep it from him. Better I tell him now than him finding out for himself when I'm writhing in pain and screaming bloody murder beneath him, right? "Edward, I've never done anything like this. With anybody."

I braced myself for the laughter but it never came. He was still rubbing soothing circles into my lower back, not seeming to be phased at all by what I told him. "I already knew that, Bella."

My brow raised as I peeked up at him. I'm sure the shock of his answer was apparent in my eyes. "But, I never told you that. How would you know?"

"I'm your boyfriend. I know these things." He kissed me softly. "If we are going to take our relationship to the next level, you are going to be the one who's going to lead. I'll go at your pace because I want this to be special for you, Bella. So, you tell me what you want and I'll follow."

My eyes narrowed slightly. He wanted this to be a special experience for _me_. So, did that mean he already..? "Edward," I placed a hand on his face and looked him in the eyes, the striking greenness visible even in the darkness of my room. "I want this to be special for you, too. It's probably nothing to you since you've already--"

"I haven't done anything like this either, Bella." Edward interrupted with a kiss to the inside of my wrist. "But I know enough from Emmett to know what I'm doing. That's why I said we'll go at your pace. We'll take care of other things when you decide to."

I knew what he meant. Protection. Though, we didn't really need it since I had been on birth control since my first year of college. School was stressing me out beyond belief, which ended up pushing my monthly cycles all out of whack. When I talked to my mom about it over the phone, she told me things would just be easier if I was prescribed birth control so I'd know exactly when my cycles would come.

It was easy and very convenient so I stuck with it.

I wanted to take my relationship with Edward to the next level. I wanted to so bad. I was beginning to sound like a hormonal teenager, but I honestly was starting to really not care. Which in turn, made me feel slightly bad. "I'm sorry, Edward. I didn't even ask if this was what you wanted."

His lighthearted chuckle made me frown as I propped myself up on my elbow to glare at him, "What's funny about that?"

"Because you always seem to assume that _I_ don't want you when it is the furthest thing from the truth, Bella." Edward ran a hand through his messy array of hair and propped himself up on an elbow as well. "How many times do I have to shove you against a wall or kiss you to let you know how much I truly do?"

My heartbeat sped up as he inched closer to my mouth, spreading the feeling of desire all throughout my body again. "Edward,"

Sergeant, Girlfriend, and Girly Bella held out a huge sign that read "Sexy Edward Returns" and I couldn't have agreed more. Wanting my own privacy with this Edward all for myself, I shoved them out of my head and focused solely on the gorgeous man inches away from my face.

"Should I instead just show you, Isabella," His hand went to the back of my neck where he fisted my hair softly, leaning closer so that his breath caressed my lips in the most tempting way, "how very much this, what did you call me earlier, _Sexy Edward_ wants you?"

_Oh my god_ was the only thought registering itself in my head as he pressed his lips to mine. Edward eased me down gently on the bed, the softness of it feeling remarkable on my bare back. His lips left mine then, much to my dismay, to trail open mouthed kisses down my collar bone that left my skin tingling with every touch.

"If I've never told you before, I'll tell you now, that you are absolutely stunning." Edward murmured against the hollow of my throat, running his hand over my chest with the lightest touch. "I honestly believed this looked good on its own, but you've increased its appearance tenfold. Do you want to know what I thought when I first saw you wearing this for me, Bella?"

I meekly nodded my head, my breath hitching in my throat as his lips touched the ribbon in the middle of the bra Alice had picked out for me. For once, I wanted to thank her for her outrageousness with wanting to buy the sets for me. They were really paying off now.

"I told myself I'd never look at lingerie the same way unless it was on your body." He kissed the valley of my chest, making all sorts of butterflies soar throughout my stomach. "So, I'm really anticipating the days to come because I know there's only more waiting for me. The pink? The black? Surely you aren't planning to hide those from me, are you?"

Oh, my.

Sexy Edward had quite a way with words.

"Edward,"

"Shhh." he hushed, running a gentle hand down my thigh. "Relax. Tonight is all about you, Bella." I bit my lip and nodded as he continued to kiss and make himself acquainted with every part of my body. Edward was merely touching me and I already felt as if I were about to explode. If he could make touching feel that good, I could only imagine what he could make everything else feel like.

Feisty Bella and Sexy Edward. Quite the duo, if I do say so myself.

His hands trailed down my ribcage and stopped at the lacy pair of matching panties. I had an idea of what he was going to do and the thought of it alone made my face turn five different shades of red. "Edward?"

"Didn't I tell you to shhh?" He asked with a chuckle, brushing his lips on both of my hip bones. I didn't have a gorgeous tattoo there like he did and now I sort of wish I did. That tattoo and its placement seriously blew my mind out of the water and made himself that much sexier in my eyes. It made things so much better since he was well-toned. My eyes wandered to find it again and there it was, looking just as yummy as it did the first time I saw it.

The Cullen crest and the v-cut right beside it. My new eye candy and my new favorite part of Edward's body.

"I think this was my favorite out of all the ones you bought." He traced the lacy hemline of the panties and fiddled with the ribbons on the side. "I love this color on your skin."

My mind went hazy as he dragged his lips languidly across my stomach and down my thighs. As much as I was embarrassed to admit, I wanted his touch on one specific part of my body. The most sacred part that was screaming to be recognized. "Edward... Edward..."

"Yes, my Bella?" Edward murmured as he made his way back up my face, kissing me softly. "I'm right here, love. I'm not going anywhere."

My eyes shot open at the nickname. Did he just say love? I ran my mind back two seconds and confirmed it. He did. He called me_ love_. Could he get any better? That, of course, was a rhetorical question.

I inwardly sighed and relished in the fact that Edward was _my_ boyfriend and no one else's. My heartbeat sped up as his lips pressed against mine again, his hands trailing behind me to settle on the clasp that held my shield together. I knew what he was going to do - what he _wanted_ to do. And I trusted him enough to let it happen.

I wanted him to.

He lifted me up slightly, his fingers still locked on the same place. His eyes closed and for a second there, I thought Edward's confident demeanor was shot. It actually seemed as if he might be nervous, as if he thought he was pushing me over some kind of a boundary line I wasn't ready to cross.

I was ready.

And I needed him to know that.

"Edward, look at me." I lifted my hands up to cradle his face. "You said you wanted me, right?"

His green eyes strengthened at the words. "More than anything."

"Then, show me." I kissed his mouth softly, tenderly, to let him know how absolutely fine I was with the idea of him touching me like no man ever has. My hands left his face then to meet his own, both of our fingers lingering over the clasp of my bra. I wasn't nervous anymore. I really wasn't.

His face regained its composure and just like that, I felt the snap from it opening as the straps fell down my shoulder blades. His eyes stayed on mine as I let it fall completely off my body, sighing when he laid me gently back on the bed.

Edward groaned and kissed the spot below my ear. "You're beautiful. I can't even tell you how much of a visual perfection you are."

My heart soared at his words as he moved his hands over my breasts, cupping them slightly, hesitant to what my reaction might be. I could only grip his messy hair in my hands as I whimpered in a soft plea for him to continue.

He muttered something into my neck but I was too far gone in the feeling of his hands for anything to register into my brain. I tightened my fingers in his hair as his mouth began trailing down my collarbone again. I knew his destination and my face flushed in excitement.

In the infamous words of Shakespeare, _let lips do what hands do_ was what Edward must have been thinking. If his hands got to touch, then his lips would get to touch, too.

And he was so gentle with both his mouth and fingers that it almost brought tears to my eyes. Kissing me as if I were a dream brought to life, touching me as though I'd break if he didn't take caution. It all showed me that Edward was definitely on a different level than other guys his age.

He didn't ogle me like I was a piece of meat. He didn't grope me and knead me like a ball of dough. He acted as if he worshipped my body, acquainted himself with kisses and caresses that screamed of nothing but adoration for me.

If I could put into words how very strongly I felt for Edward, the only thing that could come close were the words _I love you_. To anyone else, perhaps it'd seem like I was spewing the words out because my head was lost in the high of his touch, my mind intoxicated by his presence.

That was not the case at all.

Because with him, I didn't have to be anything but me. Because with him, the butterflies and tingles never went away. I knew in my heart I loved him, that I had definitely fallen fast but couldn't find it in myself to care.

Isn't that why it's called falling?

Because you don't mean to.

You just do.

Right?

I thought with Jacob there was a certain time frame I'd hit and then the feelings would come rushing in like a tornado. That if I waited long enough, the butterflies would suddenly sputter uncontrollably in my stomach. I didn't realize how unrealistic of a theory that was until Edward came along.

You're not supposed to _try_ to love someone. You're not supposed to wait until you do. You don't tell someone, "I kind of love you."

If it happens, it happens.

And you either love them or you don't. I don't think there's any in between.

"Bella?" His words pulled me back to reality. "Are you okay?"

I hated myself for always getting lost in my own thought bubbles. It always tended to ruin the moment. I shook my head and combed the hair from his face, smiling up at him. "Yes, I'm fine. Totally fine. I'm sorry about that, I just got lost in the moment for a brief second."

He smiled at the answer and kissed my fingertips. "Didn't I ask you to stop apologizing?"

I was about to apologize again before he clamped a hand down on my mouth. He laughed and shook his head, kissing the tip of my nose. "You're impossible. I think this might be the only way you'll listen to me." He lifted his body up so our eyes met directly as he said, "I... want to try something. But I know if I take my hand away, you're just going to talk too much, so this is how it's going to work. If you don't like what I'm about to do, bite down so I know to stop. If it's alright... then just, enjoy. Do you understand?"

My mind was very curious as to what he was planning and all I could do was nod in affirmation for him to continue. He was acting a bit different than the usual gentleman Edward he was a lot of the time, but I liked it. It made him ten times sexier if possible since he was already off-the-charts sexy.

He kept his eyes on mine to gauge my reaction as I felt his hand trail down my stomach again. I was a little surprised at the way he played with the hemline again but knew that wasn't what he had in mind. I didn't bite down and he took that as my silent approval to go on.

Hesitation lingered in his green eyes and all I could think of to rid him of it was to kiss his palm since I couldn't tell him with words. _I trust you_.

It was almost as if he heard that very thought because he finally looked confident enough to pull through with what he was planning. He ran two fingers down and back up the cloth and that alone made me groan quietly against his hand as my eyes closed involuntarily.

"Continue?"

I could only nod, my head so clouded with lust that I couldn't even form coherent thoughts. I let my hands rest on his shoulders as he slowly pulled the last bit of fabric I had on down my legs. The cool air of the room hit my body like a boulder as I kicked them off once they were at my ankles. I should have been mad that he still had an article of clothing to cover himself up but I wasn't.

I just wanted him to keep going.

The feeling of his fingers hovering over the spot I wanted him to touch was driving me insane. He was hesitating again. Instead of nodding this time, I bucked my hips closer to him and he looked at me in surprise. I didn't bite him. I was hoping he'd take that as another sign to continue.

He kept his eyes glued on mine as he ran two fingers up and then back down again without anything there to placate the feeling this time. That simple action was enough to make me cry out against his hand.

"Jesus, Bella," he breathed. "You're... Damn..."

It made me a bit proud that his thoughts were probably as incoherent as mine at that point. I felt his arousal on my thigh, saw the lust blazing beneath his eyes as he did it again and received the same reaction from me. As selfish as it sounded I wanted more. "Edward," I murmured against his hand, hoping he'd finally lift it off. Surprisingly, he did but didn't cease the action of his hand below.

"Edward... oh, god. E-Edward, please..." My grip on his shoulders tightened.

"What, Bella?" He asked me in a low voice. "Tell me what you want."

"Just, just... _please_." I couldn't get it out. My mouth and mind weren't on the same page at all. I was hoping he wouldn't make me beg, hoping he'd just understand what I was trying to tell him with body language what I couldn't with words.

And bless him, he knew _exactly_ what I wanted.

I nearly cried out in surprise as I felt him push a finger in, not enough to break through, but just enough to let me feel what it might be like. And mother of all things holy, it felt... _fantastic_.

"Goddamn." Edward muttered quietly, stilling his hand from moving. "Bella,"

"Shut up, Edward." I groaned eagerly beneath him. It was my turn to shut him up for once. "Just, keep going. Please."

He did as I asked and experimented with how much I could take without pushing too far in. Once he was sure I was okay, he used his thumb to graze over my sensitive bundle of nerves that had me gripping his hair like my life depended on it. I was so lost in the feeling, whimpering things that probably didn't even make sense as I raked my fingernails down his back like a cat would to its scratching post. It wasn't enough to hurt him, just enough to spur him on even more.

Something was building inside of me, something that felt like a spring tightening more and more with every stroke and every push. "Edward... Edward..."

"Yes, Bella, god." He whispered into my ear, kissing my neck softly. "Let go for me, baby. Let go."

That phrase along with the nickname was my undoing as I cried out and buried my face into his neck, shuddering beneath him as the wave of pleasure washed through my body. My breathing was heavy, as was his, as we held each other in silence. I had never felt anything as amazing as that in my life and only wished I could do the same for him.

As swiftly as I could, I ran my hand down his chest and thumbed the tattoo I admired so much, wishing desperately to see the whole thing and not just half since his boxers covered the rest. With my chest still heaving up and down from the intensity of what just happened, I gently caressed him and earned a throaty groan as I did so.

I will make you feel just as good, Edward. I promise.

Before I could get a grip, Edward grabbed my wrist and pulled it back up to our faces. I huffed as he placed a kiss on my open palm. "Edward, what are you--"

"I said tonight was about _you_, Bella." He pulled the covers atop my bare body and held me closely against him. "Tonight was my night to get to know your body."

I sighed and pushed myself up to look at him. "I want to get to know yours too. That's being unfair."

"You'll get your night, I promise." Edward leaned in and kissed my forehead. "Like I said, tonight was about you. Some other night, it will be about me, but not this time. Okay?"

It felt childish to complain, so instead I shut up and nuzzled my face into his neck to kiss his weak spot softly. "Thank you. For tonight. It was wonderful - _you_ were absolutely wonderful."

He smiled and held me closer with a chuckle. "You are seriously the only girl I know who'd ever thank me for getting them off."

I slapped his shoulder playfully and bit his arm at the remark, smirking devilishly as he yelped out in surprise. "I better be the _only_ girl, period!"

"Possessive, aren't you?" I slapped him again. "Do you even have to ask? Of course you are, Bella. You definitely are, don't worry." He whispered into my ear, sending shivers that ran up and down my spine.

"Then stop complaining." I huffed, kissing the spot I slapped a second ago to alleviate the sting.

"Who's complaining?" he insisted. "I'm _very_ much looking forward to being the only guy allowed to bring you to that edge, Bella."

Ah, Edward Cullen. Such a way with words.

The three Bella's in my head came out from hiding with devious grins on their faces, knowing very well what I had in mind. My turn to send him off that edge would come soon enough.

And I knew exactly how to go on about doing it, too.

I smiled to myself as he started singing softly in my ear to lull me to sleep. Nothing else mattered to me as his voice grew fainter and fainter, the room becoming more of a hazy blur as my eyes began to close.

No time limit on emotions, I remembered.

And dammit, I didn't care what anyone said or thought about my feelings anymore. Jacob could go ahead and yell at me if he wanted to. Tanya can be the bitch that she is and try to convince Edward otherwise. But none of it mattered. Not to me. I don't care.

Because I've known for a while and I know now, I love Edward.

I do.

I _love_ him.

No denial, no in between's.

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It was a good thing Edward and I enjoyed our Saturday together because we didn't spend much time together on Sunday at all. I had to work a morning shift and buried myself in reading chapters and writing essays right after because I was falling behind in English. I knew I'd get distracted if I worked at home, so I stayed at work when I was finished and did it all there. I went back to my apartment hours later only to find it empty. Edward was working the night shift and told me not to wait up for him. I was too exhausted to argue with that and knocked out not even an hour after I got back.

I vaguely remember Edward coming in at around midnight or so, but both of us were too tired to try to talk about our days. So instead, we just fell asleep in each other's arms like we always did.

I had to work the following morning, so Edward just picked me up at Java Monster before it was time to head to class. We talked the whole way about the previous day since that was apparently too long for us to be away from each other.

We had turned into one of those couples I used to think I couldn't stand. I simply loved being around him and I guess he felt the same way. Once he parked his Volvo in the student lot, we walked together to our building and saw a few of our other partnered classmates holding hands as well.

It wasn't for show obviously and made me wonder if Professor Peterson really was some kind of a matchmaker. Anticipation flooded my stomach as Edward and I stepped inside the classroom and made our way up to our usual seats. We were three weeks into the assignment and I knew we had something crazy awaiting us. I just hoped it wasn't another separation twist because I'd crack within the first two hours, I'm sure.

Soon enough, Professor Peterson came through the door and settled everyone down. As I looked around the classroom, I saw the antsy and anxious faces of my peers. They were all dying to know what this week had in store just like I was. Edward's thumb stroked the skin of my knuckles lightly to ease my curiosity, and though I appreciated it, it didn't help too much.

"Well, class," Professor Peterson smiled at us and put his elbows up on his podium. "Can you believe next week is the end of this project? Time flies by so fast, does it not?" Everyone agreed as he pulled that damn briefcase up for everyone to see. "As you all know, today marks the third week which only means another twist. Who's ready to hear what it is?"

I sharply took in a breath, as did many other people around me. I don't know what the hell it could have been and I honestly didn't want to guess anymore. Wedding veils, garters, separation, breaking rules, it was all too out of the loop for me to even have any kind of hint anymore, so I just waited until he dropped the bomb on us.

He pushed his glasses up and smiled after clearing his throat. "Now, as you all of you may know now, marriage will not always be an easy thing. Last week you all had to deal with being apart and had to learn the lesson of going back on your own. According to our last class discussion, a lot of you did fairly well by breaking the rules. And you all should pat yourself on the back for doing so."

His hands moved back to the briefcase and the faint click of it opening echoed in the silent classroom, all of us waiting for him to reveal what was inside.

"Now, being a married man myself, I can understand how it feels when your significant other drives you absolutely crazy. You want to get away from them, but sometimes you just can't. 'In sickness and in health', right? 'Until death do us part', right?"

Professor Peterson smiled. "Last week I made it the assignment to try to stay away and break the rules. This week," He yanked out a pair of handcuffs, making almost every single one of our jaws drop at the sight. "This week, I'm making it so that you are to stay together at all costs with no way of getting away from one another."

Before anyone could protest, he took out a pair and locked two people's hands together. He had just about fifteen or sixteen pairs in his stupid briefcase, making me wonder how in the hell he got all of them. They weren't the dinky plastic ones you found at toy stores either, they were the real metal handcuffs.

"I know what you're all thinking," he laughed, snapping another set on two people. "You're all wondering 'what about when I go to the bathroom? How about when I shower? What about when I go to work?' My simple answer to all of those is, close your eyes if they're using the bathroom. Look away if they're showering. Deal with it if they're working. Explain the situation to your bosses and I'm sure they'll understand. If they have any sort of problem with it, they can talk to me personally."

Professor Peterson finally made his way to Edward and I, snapping a set of dark green colored handcuffs to our wrists. I stared at it in shock, not even noticing they were colored. I didn't even know they sold colored handcuffs!

"If any of you feel the need to tamper with them, by all means, go ahead. I'll know if you try to do so though, because many have tried in the past. To let you know ahead of time, these are each $23.64 plus shipping and handling online. If you mess with them, both partners will buy a new pair for my future students and will get dinged quite a numerous amount of points for trying to find shortcuts for the assignment. Each set has a key that I am in possession of. Tomorrow at 4:00, which is exactly twenty-fours from now, you will come here to get your key to unlock yourselves. If there are any questions, you can address them now."

Handcuffed hands shot up all throughout the room as Edward and I stared at one another in bewilderment. I had to hand it Professor Peterson, he really had a creative imagination.

* * *

Class ended with more than half the students outraged at the twist this week. It wasn't _that_ bad. Okay, well, yeah never mind. It was pretty bad. I don't know why he couldn't have just stuck with buying ordinary silver ones since them being colored only drew that much more attention to us. My left hand was cuffed to Edward's right and I knew it'd be pretty hard to get through the day with him literally attached to me.

We were heading back to his car when his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket. Without thinking, Edward grabbed his phone and held it to his ear, cursing loudly when my left hand smacked him in the face.

"Bella!" Edward groaned as I stared at him incredulously since he didn't even realize that that wasn't my fault at all.

"My hand is handcuffed to yours, Edward. You shouldn't have answered with that one!"

He ignored my comment and redirected his attention back to his phone. "Hello?"

Once we reached his Volvo, I knew we had another problem. How the hell were we going to get in? I hated this twist already. I was seriously considering getting dinged the points and just buying Professor Peterson a new pair.

"Seriously, Emmett? You've got to be kidding me. Then you're covering my shift tomorrow! I'm not going to do that for you if it means..." Edward stopped mid-sentence and used his free hand to run his hand through his hair. "Alright, alright, alright! I'll do it! Jesus Christ. You're a pain in the ass sometimes, do you know that?"

Having learned his lesson the first time, Edward used his hand that wasn't cuffed to close his phone and shoved it into his left pants pocket. He must have realized the problem I was thinking about once he groaned and unlocked his car.

"So... how are we going to do this?" I asked.

He moved to the driver's side of the car and opened the door, ushering me to get in first. "Go in and climb into the passenger seat. Since you're smaller, it'll be easier for you."

I nodded in agreement and climbed in first, bumping my head on the top as I yelled loudly. Once Edward made his way in, it was obvious we were both very irritated at the position we were in already. If he was thinking what I was thinking, we'd hurry home and find some kind of tool to pick the lock.

Apparently, we weren't thinking the same thing since he drove off in a completely different location of where our apartments were. Already slightly irritated, I asked, "Where are we going?"

"Emmett needs a favor." he replied, using his free hand to steer. "The dumbest favor anyone could ask for, but I owe him, so I guess I can't really complain." Edward shook his head as we halted at a stop light. "I swear, I will get him back for this someday. I will."

I had seen Edward annoyed with Emmett before, but never to this extent. It made me wonder what in the hell he could have asked for that was so outrageously bad.

I'd get my answer soon enough.

* * *

I don't think I had ever been more embarrassed in my entire life. I tried to shield myself from the rest of the people by hiding behind my hair but it wasn't really working. We only drew _that_ much more attention to ourselves since we were in freaking handcuffs for goodness sake.

Professor Peterson really was out to make my life hell.

"Do we absolutely have to do this _now_, Edward?" I hissed, using my free hand to cover one side of my face. "Can't you do this after we've gotten the key to the cuffs?"

Edward turned to me, his face completely calm. How was this not affecting him?! We were a young couple handcuffed to one another in the _condom_ aisle of all places. Sergeant, Girly, and Girlfriend Bella all gave me pitying looks, trying to ease my discomfort with sympathetic smiles. I wanted to flip all of them off because they had disguises and I didn't. "Emmett won't leave me alone until we do. It's not going to take long, Bella. Couples do this all the time."

Yeah I know couples went "protection" shopping all the time, but goddammit! It doesn't mean it wasn't embarrassing! I think everything would be so much less mortifying if the stupid painted green metal holding us together wasn't there. To make things worse, they weren't even for us, they were for Emmett. As if I needed the mental image of him and Rosalie going at it. Gah!

Sergeant Bella merely laughed at the situation. I was hoping she'd walk over a land mine or fell into a ditch or something. _Jerk_.

"Attention, WalMart shoppers, we have a special on the two liter sodas today! Buy three, get one free!"

I flinched at the announcement blaring over the loudspeaker, having some sort of weird idea that they'd announce Edward and I in handcuffs. Something like, "Attention, WalMart shoppers, we've got two idiots in colored handcuffs shopping for protection. Don't miss out!" I practically died in shame just thinking of it.

"I don't even see the ones he wanted." Edward muttered to himself as he grabbed a box and scanned the small print.

"Does it _matter_?" I growled, wanting more than anything to just hightail it out of there. I grabbed a random box and shoved it at him. "There, problem solved. Now let's go."

"Because I'm really going to buy these and make it seem like _I'm_ the one who needs them, right?" Edward retaliated, throwing the box of small-sized Trojans back on the shelf.

If any one thing could hurt a guy's ego, it was the size of their... package. Ask any guy. Find the manliest, scariest one you know and tell him he's small. He'll throw the biggest fit and stomp until you take it back. I never understood why it was such a big deal but, whatever.

Boys will be boys.

"Would you seriously just pick one!" I groaned, completely exasperated at my boyfriend and his stupid brother. "I don't see the damned difference!"

"Bella, stop yelling at me. This isn't my fault." Edward calmly told me, picking up another box.

Emmett Cullen was now on my official hit list. He decides today of all days to cash in his "I owe you big time" card by asking Edward to do this for him. I swear I'd find a way to get back at him. Maybe I'd buy hundreds of bags of Doritos and step on them all in front of his face. It'd be worth it. Nothing got Emmett more depressed than a wasted bag of nacho cheese Doritos.

I smirked in triumph at the thought, suddenly being dragged by arm elsewhere. My eyes snapped to Edward, who was already holding a box of the damned things in his free hand. The guy who rang us up stared curiously as we stood there, probably wondering why we were even out in public with them on.

_Shove off, prick!_ I wanted to scream in his face. His stare was so uncomfortable that I turned away and even closed my eyes, praying we'd get out of there asap.

I was so mortified, I didn't even realize we were walking out of the store. Thank god. We awkwardly climbed back into the car and made our way to Emmett and Rosalie's house to drop off his "favor". Fucking jerk.

Both Edward and I's faces dropped as soon we pulled up to the house, seeing Alice's yellow Porsche parked in the driveway. She wouldn't. She wouldn't! She fucking WOULDN'T, would she? Him and I must have had the same idea because we scrambled out of the Volvo as fast as we could and practically sprinted to the front door.

Edward pounded on the door with his free hand, screaming obscenities as we waited to be let inside. After a few minutes of standing there, the door opened, with a giggling Alice and a guffawing Emmett to greet us. To make things even worse, Rosalie and Jasper were sitting on the stairs behind them with big goofy grins on their faces.

Yes, Alice fucking _would_.

For the first time since I met her, I was ready to raise all hell and pummel her sumo-wrestler style.

"Emmett, what the hell!" Edward yelled, throwing the box on the floor as his brother continued to laugh and hold his stomach. "It's not fucking funny! Do you know how embarrassing that was?!"

I was sure Edward wanted to attack Emmett just as much as I wanted to attack Alice, but since both of us were stuck together, I don't think it'd be a very successful attempt. Damn.

"I couldn't... couldn't help it, Edward!" Emmett laughed, falling to the ground with a loud thud as he rolled around. "Oh, god! Alice called... Alice called and brought up the three-week shit and... and..." He was booming so much with laughter that if I wasn't so pissed off, I probably would have laughed with him. "And... I couldn't resist! You and Bells, handcuffed, and buying... _condoms_! Of all things!"

Everyone in the room besides Edward and I started laughing hysterically. My cheeks were more than likely looking like tomatoes and I could do nothing to prevent it. I hated Professor Peterson. Hated him.

"Bella, don't be mad, please." Alice wiped at her eyes and took my free hand in between both of hers. "If it helps, Jasper and I had to do it, too. It was all in good fun, we never meant to make you guys angry."

"I'm sure you and Jasper didn't have to buy condoms, Alice! Do you know how many people stared at us like we were insane?"

"But it's not like you know any of them! Come on, Bella, please don't be mad." Alice looked up at me with her stupid puppy eyes and even though I'd hate myself for it later on, I forgave her. She gave both Edward and I a hug, assuring us she was truly sorry for telling everyone about the twist for the week.

Once Emmett came to make his amends, Edward threw a fist into his shoulder. I couldn't blame him really. I was pissed, too.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry, Edward." he apologized with a chuckle, holding his hands out in defense. "I'll cover all of your shifts for the remainder of this week, how about that? Take the week off with Bells. Will that make up for it?"

I could tell it was hard for Edward to hold a grudge against him since he sighed in defeat and nodded. Emmett hooted and gave him one of those... manly hugs. Those ones where you just wrap an arm around them and pat their back really hard? Yeah, that kind.

Maybe all of the Cullen's just had some sort of uncanny ability to make others forgive them easily. That was my conclusion at least.

* * *

After the "triple date" of watching movies and horsing around, Edward and I finally went back to his apartment since it was time to switch again. We had spent so much time at Emmett's, refusing to go out in public, that we didn't even realize we skipped dinner. Edward made his way into his kitchen and because I really had no other choice, I followed. He rummaged through the stuff in his fridge and hummed in thought, "Anything you want in particular?"

"No, not really." I answered, my arm being jerked down as he bent over to check his cupboards for a pot. I turned to him and groaned, "Edward! Try to remember that your girlfriend is attached to you, please? It hurts when you do that!"

He looked back at me and sighed softly. "I'm sorry. I forgot about that. Are you alright?" The fingers of his free hand massaged my cuffed wrist lightly, ridding any pain that was once there before. "How about I make you something simple, like an omelet?"

I raised a brow at him with a soft giggle. "An omelet? Edward, it's nine o' clock at night. Don't you think it's a bit too late to be eating breakfast?"

Edward shrugged and kissed my forehead, flashing his perfection of a crooked grin at me. "Breakfast for dinner. I'll take that as a yes."

It was a bit awkward as he grabbed all the things to put an omelet together, but after we made it past that, I was sure the worst was over.

I was so wrong.

One thing Edward prided himself in when it came to cooking was that he could crack an egg with one hand. It wasn't too great of a deal, but he was the only one out of Emmett and Alice who could, so he took advantage of it. I didn't think it would be that bad. But Edward, like a lot of the people on this planet, is right handed. Once he realized that was the hand that was cuffed to mine, he tried to do it with his left.

He cracked it, yes, but with plenty of eggshells along with it. We discarded that and he told me to try cracking the egg with my right, saying it wasn't that hard at all. I figured since I was pretty good at cooking that I just might be able to pull it off.

Just like Edward with his left, the egg completely smashed into the bowl as we sighed in annoyance. He decided to just try his luck and used his right hand to try and crack the egg open.

That didn't work either. I yelped out once the egg came down on the bowl because the side of my hand collided with the rim. It didn't hurt, but it startled Edward and he ended up destroying another egg. We were just about to give up. But then he told me to make a fist with my left so when he cracked the egg, my knuckles would only tap the bowl. It was a good idea, so we tried it.

And when the egg came down, so did my hand. My knuckles tipped the bowl over and spilled our failed attempt at an omelet on the floor. Four eggs were wasted and that was enough to tell us it wasn't going to work.

We gave up and both decided we just weren't hungry after that.

Doing simple things like going to the bathroom and washing our faces became such a hassle. Edward had to close his eyes when I went to use the restroom and my hand would dangle lifelessly by his face as he shaved. I was so annoyed by the end of the night that I really just wanted to find a saw and cut the damn thing off.

Edward and I were silent for quite some time as we laid in bed, both trying to not piss the other off any more so than we already were. I was just drifting to sleep when Edward wrapped his free arm around me and nuzzled his face into my neck.

"Bella, love, are you still awake?" he asked softly, pulling me closer to him.

"Yeah. I'm up." I replied, using my right hand to comb through the bronze tangles on his head. "Something wrong?"

He sighed heavily and pressed his lips to mine softly. "I'm sorry if I've been a pain in the ass today. It's not you that's irritating me. It's just, I don't see how this is relevant to our assignment. It's aggravating, to say the least."

"I know, Edward. I feel the same way. But, tomorrow we get the key. Soon enough, things will be back to normal."

"Yeah," he agreed with a crooked smile. "you're right."

I smiled and moved the hand that was caressing his hair down to the back of his neck, pulling him to my lips because it felt like I hadn't kissed him properly all day.

He parted my lips and brushed his tongue against mine, already setting my body afire with that simple touch. With a coy smile, I swung my leg over his body so I was straddling his waist, deciding tonight would be my night to get to know his body.

Thankfully, my right hand was the free one. I dragged it down his chest and ghosted it lightly over the already growing bulge in his boxers as he hissed in pleasure. I smirked against his lips, taking a liking to how much of an effect I had on him. I felt his hands going up my shirt and all of a sudden, I felt the awkwardness coming back at us. I'm sure Edward felt it too because he completely froze like I did.

Both his hands were glued on my bra, which had my stupid left hand dangling there underneath my shirt as well. I groaned in frustration and hoisted myself off him. I'm sure he wasn't too pleased either. His aggravated hand pulling at his messy hair gave it away. I looked at the stupid handcuffs that held us together and cursed them. I couldn't even _touch_ Edward the way I wanted to without it feeling awkward! Damn Professor Peterson. Damn the handcuffs.

Moment ruiner. A total moment ruiner.

"Good night, Edward." I sighed, leaning over to kiss him one last time.

"Good night, Bella." He replied, meeting me halfway.

Both of us didn't attempt anything else after that. We weren't mad at each other of course. It's just that after having to climb into a car the way we were, buying condoms, getting laughed at, failing at making dinner, trying to shave with someone attached to you, and then not being able to have some fun, we were exhausted.

And I couldn't wait until we could get the stupid damned things off. I wanted _my_ night to get to know Sexy Edward's body. And clearly, that wasn't happening until both my hands were free.

* * *

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**End of Chapter Nineteen**

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**  
Author's Notes:** Like the three week twist? I decided to put Edward and Bella through it since I had to do it, too. Not for an entire day, but for a few hours, and it was HELL. Oh, so who liked the sexy time between them? Oh god, I was so nervous (still am) about it that I almost erased the whole scene completely. It's not graphic, because I don't see my versions of Edward and Bella as being graphic. Gah! Ease my nerves and tell me it was okay? *Hyperventilates*

Now, can you believe they actually sell painted handcuffs? There's a picture of them on my profile if you're curious to see if I'm telling the truth. Oh, and! The title of this chapter and the "shopping" scene came to me when I was reading a hilarious story called "Attention, WalMart Shoppers" by sillybella. If you haven't read it, you should!

If you haven't already, check out my new story I just posted up! It's called "A Little Less Than Before" and I'm really, really excited about it! I'll be updating that one sometime between tomorrow and the next day.

Reviews? They really, really make my day! So, pretty please with Sexy Edward on top?

--_**BB  
**_


	20. Chocolate Kisses

**Author's Notes:** So sorry for the late update! I'm back at school and gah, is it a pain in the butt. But! Thank you everyone for the positive feedback on the last chapter and for not being so hard on me for the lack of the lemon. It made me feel a lot better. And also, thanks so much for helping this story hit not only 1,400 reviews but for 1,500 as well! I'm aiming for 2,000 within the next couple of chapters, but if not, that's totally fine. I'm blown away enough as it is :) I love you all! And now I have something else to say that probably isn't going to be so nice, but my buttons were finally pushed. Again, this author's note is long. Read on if you please.

This is to the 30 anonymous reviewers who gave consecutive flames about how the sexy time scene was "too graphic", or how I "ruined the story", or how I'm "so fucking stupid for including it in because it wasn't necessary". I respect the fact that not every review I get is going to be of praise and adoration for the story. But when I receive 30 reviews back-to-back about how the sexy times scene was garbage and caused them to never read my work again, it starts getting a bit offending. My response to your reaction is simply, my story is rated M for a reason. I even stated clearly in the author's note last chapter that something like that would happen and because I was so nervous, I made sure to make it not so graphic. If I gave warnings beforehand, why am I the one to blame? If it bothers you so much, don't read. If you're pissed off I made two ADULTS take another step in their relationship, DON'T read. It's as simple as that.

I was honestly very hurt by those reviews and ended up deleting most of them. Because of this incident, I'm really starting to consider only accepting signed reviews. So, to everyone else who wasn't a part of those thirty hurtful reviewers, please consider getting an account. It's free and only takes a second. And! I'll be able to reply to your reviews. Please think about it? :)

Now that that's done, enjoy yourself some sexy time from EPOV. And yes, I warn you again that there IS sexy time in here near the end of the chapter. **Skip it if you must because I don't mind**. But I will seriously lose my mind if I get another 30 anonymous reviews in my inbox to tell me they hate me for putting more Edward and Bella lovin'.

Quick thanks to **IcelandGirl812** for comforting me through the situation when I told her about it. Like I said, the girl is all sorts of wonderful. I totally love you lots, Owlpire. HAHA! Try to find the references to you in this, though I know you'll spot them like nothing ;)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight. Duh.

* * *

**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Twenty**

_**Chocolate Kisses**_

* * *

*********

**Edward Cullen**

"AH! Edward, cold! The water's cold!" Bella screamed, flailing her arms around as she pushed her head out from underneath the running water, knocking my jaw in the process.

"Be careful!" I groaned at the arising ache. She wasn't helping and because we were still handcuffed and she was still flailing, we knocked over one too many things and water had gotten everywhere. My once neat and tidy bathroom now looked as if a hurricane had ripped through it.

Known as Hurricane Isabella.

_Deep breaths, Edward. In through the nose, out through the mouth_.

As much as I was in love with Bella, being handcuffed to her was definitely not as great as I thought it might be. Sleeping with her arm literally attached to my own last night was probably the most annoyed I had been in a very long time. I had to admit, it pretty much topped Emmett's favor.

It was _that _bad.

Who would've known Bella's tossing and turning would be the reason why I was seriously considering getting knocked down a grade or two for cutting the cuffs off? I honestly did not think anything of her sleeping habits before. It was normal. What's not so normal is my fist knocking me in the mouth every time she moved or my arm being yanked the opposite way whenever she switched the side she was laying on.

It was hell.

I couldn't even sleep!

And when I did manage to get myself a decent amount of sleep, I woke up to both our bodies halfway off the bed because of that stupid piece of green metal holding us together. If she turned, if I moved, it all ended with the same result. Like I said, hell. Not only that, but she was drooling on my arm. Not even a little either. I'm talking full-on pool of drool on my arm and I swear it was like the Nile River. I love the girl, but really, her mouth needed a plunger. Or perhaps a pillow or a sponge - _anything_ of the sort that could absorb it all up that wasn't attached to my body.

Needless to say, our day started off... _slightly_ irritating. It was the first time I actually felt like we were a married couple because of how much we were getting on each other's nerves.

"Bella, your hair still has shampoo in it. So, unless you want to go out like that, I suggest you put your head back under the water."

She glared at me. "Says the guy who used up all the hot water for his! Is that why you wanted to go first?"

I ran my free hand through my still dampened hair and tried to stifle back my laugh. One of the biggest issues Bella and I had about the handcuffs situation was that we weren't able to do certain things. Getting our tops off was the main issue. Since we couldn't get our tops off, we couldn't shower the way we were used to. So, we improvised and did it the way it was done in salons. Bella did a good job and even though my right hand kept dangling by my face as she washed my hair, it was quite the enjoyable experience. For me, at least.

This, on the other hand... Not so much.

She was sitting against the tub and had her head leaned back with a towel wrapped around her shoulders. I thought washing her hair would be a... _sensual _type of experience. But with shampoo suds being thrown all over the place and with Bella shrieking at every moment the cold water touched anywhere but her hair, I'd say sensual was the wrong word to use.

Maybe terrifying was a better choice.

Finally, after what felt like forever, her hair was finally free of suds and smelled of tantalizing strawberries like it always did. She liked the shampoo so much that I surprised her with her very own bottle at my place so she wouldn't have to carry it back and forth.

"Thank you, Edward." Bella smiled at me and kissed my neck softly, making me forget all about the havoc that had occurred not even two minutes ago. "And... I'm sorry about making such a mess," She sheepishly looked down at her feet and I couldn't help but forgive her at that very moment. It's not as if any of it was her fault anyway.

I hooked my finger under her chin and tilted it up towards me, "Hey. What did I say about apologizing? It's nothing a mop and some towels won't fix, so don't worry." I brought my face closer to hers. "Now kiss me, love."

And every shred of annoyance I felt with her dissipated as soon as her lips locked onto mine, my free hand continuing to memorize the frame of her face though I already knew it so well. Her fingers wove through the hair at the nape of my neck as she sighed and let her sweet breath wash through me. I could never tire of kissing her.

It wasn't until both of our stomachs growled loudly that we pulled away and laughed. I was quite hungry since our omelet the previous night was a complete failure. After discussing what would be easiest for both of us to eat with our... situation, we decided on pizza. And having already been publicly humiliated enough for one lifetime, I decided to spare us the trouble and just called in for delivery.

We ate the best we could though our arms were joined together. It was actually funny to see Bella so cautious while eating. She made sure she only used her free hand to eat her pizza so she wouldn't accidently yank me forward. I was glad that all the irritation her and I were feeling towards each other had gone away and that we had managed to keep our tempers at bay.

After we were finished, we realized we had about two more hours until we could go get our key and unlock ourselves from the hell Professor Peterson had bestowed upon us. As much as both of us wanted a proper shower to wash our bodies, I knew it'd be impossible. As Bella and I sat on my bed and tried to figure something out, an idea came to me.

Once I explained it aloud, she didn't look too thrilled.

With her eyes narrowed, she spoke, "Edward. What are we, dogs? I am _not_ going to get my body hosed down."

"How else are we supposed to go about it then? Just put on a bathing suit or something. That's better than nothing, right? We can go to Alice's house."

"And embarrass myself in front of her and Jasper? I don't think so. I think I've had my share of your siblings and their significant others witnessing my humiliation."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and let out an exasperated groan. Maybe I had spoken too soon about our irritation going away. Two more hours, two more hours... "_Fine_, Bella. We'll just stay here until 4, is that better for you? We won't move from this spot until it's time for us to get our key."

Her eyes locked on mine as she sighed quietly. "Are you mad?"

I didn't answer her in fear that I'd just yell. If Professor Peterson's objective of the handcuffs were to get us to annoy the living daylights out of each other, then he was one sneaky bastard because it really felt like it was working.

"Edward," Bella exhaled and swung her leg over mine so she was straddling my lap. I wanted to be thrilled that she had done so, but couldn't because the handcuffs were such a damned buzz kill. "Okay, fine. If you want to go do that so bad, then we'll do it."

"It's alright."

She huffed and stared at me, irritation obviously getting the better of her as well. "If you'll stop sulking like this, then let's go. I'd gladly embarrass myself if it would just make you happy. I just want you to be happy."

"You shouldn't be so open to the option of embarrassing yourself if someone asks you, you know. Some people would take advantage of that."

"Oh my god, Edward, what the hell do you want from me then?"

"Nothing! I just want _you_, okay? Forget I mentioned Alice's house. Forget everything I said, alright? I don't want to fight with you."

A sound of frustration escaped her as she threw herself off me and turned away. I instantly felt bad and realized I was being a little more immature than I was hoping to be. Or well, I was hoping to handle this without having to be immature _at all_ actually.

In defeat, I sighed and shook her shoulder to get her to face me. "Bella, love,"

"No," she grumbled, shrugging herself away from my touch. "Seriously, Edward. Give me five minutes just to fucking be mad at this situation. Five minutes."

I have to admit, it did hurt quite a bit knowing how much I was pissing her off. My eyes wandered down to the link between our wrists and I suddenly wished I could burn through it with laser vision or something. That damned thing was preventing Bella and I from doing anything properly, including our sexy time. I almost hit my head against the headboard of my bed in aggravation just remembering how fervent Bella's lips were the night before. Her divine body was in my hands to worship again, and I gladly would have done so had the handcuffs been anywhere else but on us.

Stupid sexy-time-ruining metal.

My body came in contact with warmth as I looked down and saw Bella pressed up against me again. I pulled her close and kissed the top of her head gently and lovingly to let her know my anger was long gone. I hated fighting with her, even if it wasn't huge. Though, I'd gladly fight with Bella every single day of my life to be able to be with her rather than to not have her in my life at all. She could drool the Atlantic Ocean on me, destroy my bathroom, and whatever else as long as it meant her in my arms that same night. I remember Emmett using the term whipped on Alice and Jasper before, and I was really beginning to think it could be applied to me as well.

Like I gave a shit.

"Bella, before you say anything, I want to apologize because I didn't really even think my suggestion through. I can't exactly get out of my shirt, so it's not like I can get hosed down with it on. I can wait until after we've got the cuffs off. It's no big deal. I'm sorry."

Her brows furrowed as she scooted herself closer to my chest, letting our linked arms rest on my stomach. "I don't like this either, Edward. But it's only a few more hours. Right?"

"Right," I agreed. Just as I was about to pull her in for a forgive-me kiss, my cell phone rang from its position on my nightstand. I could see the caller ID from the bed and reached over with my free hand to answer it. "Hey, Alice. What's up?"

"What are you and Bella doing tonight?" she asked, sounding as perky as ever.

I looked over at Bella since I knew she could hear and she just shrugged. Turning my attention back to Alice, I replied, "Don't know yet. Why?"

"Well, Em told me you aren't working today or tomorrow, right? So I thought we could all have some sibling bonding. Are you guys in?"

I shut my eyes and tried not to groan out loud. Alice probably didn't have something too good in mind. If she was making sure I wasn't working tonight or tomorrow, her plans most likely involved drinking or partying or staying out extremely late. Possibly even all of the above.

If I knew my sister, I knew the answer would definitely be all of the above.

"Let me guess, Alice. Are we going to be going to some club and getting drunk off our asses?"

"No," Alice huffed as my eyes widened in surprise. Really? I was wrong? "we would be going to Kate Denali's place because she's throwing a huge party for a friend of hers, Garret. She just called and told me."

Oh, _fuck that_.

Kate was a good friend of mine, but a party at Kate Denali's place meant Tanya being there as well. I had to deal with Jacob's random appearance the other day and was not willing to deal with Tanya's clinginess just to party for a few hours. "Thanks, but no thanks, Alice."

"Why not?" Alice asked, raising her voice a bit.

Bella nudged my arm and looked up curiously from her position next to me, wondering what was being discussed. I just shook my head at her to let her know she had nothing to worry about, though she didn't seem too accepting of my reasoning. She reached out with her free hand to grab the phone as I turned away, "Just _because_, Alice. I'm not going."

"Hey, I'm not working either. Don't I get any kind of say in whatever she has planned, Edward?"

"Yeah. _Doesn't_ she?" My sister sounded more irritated and it wasn't exactly a good thing since my girlfriend was irritated also. Two women pissed off meant bad news, especially if one of those women could be a Hell raising pixie at times. _Crap_. "I was actually looking forward to hanging out with Bella again, so if you're not coming, she is."

"Give me the phone," Bella insisted, reaching over my shoulder to grab my cell. She smirked in triumph once she had it, but I wasn't going to give up just like that.

"Alice, what were you talking about?" she asked, completely unaware of what I was about to do. "A party? Where and--"

Before she uttered out another word, I sprang onto her and knocked her back on the bed, letting some of my body weight rest on her so she'd surrender the phone.

"Oh, god, _Edward_!" she breathed, kicking her legs underneath me. I fought off the laugh I wanted to suppress by nuzzling my face into her soft, strawberry scented hair.

"Um, gross!" I heard Alice yell into the phone. "Can you guys wait until _after_ you get off the phone with me to do that kind of stuff?"

"Give me the phone, love." I whispered into her ear, kissing her neck softly.

She sighed shakily and wrapped one of her legs around me since she couldn't use her hands. Already I was winning the battle and all I had to do was whisper. Sexy Edward, one and Bella Swan, zero. "Edward... You're being unfair. Get off me."

"Really now? Is that really what you want?"

She nodded meekly without saying a word.

"Oh. Then why is your leg still wrapped around me?" I tried to use my most seductive voice as I purred the question into her ear.

"Still on the phone, guys." Alice grumbled.

"Wouldn't you much rather just stay here with me? Have more time to let me get to know your body?" I murmured against her skin, suckling softly to prove my point. "Or, actually.. The handcuffs will be off in two hours. If you stay here with me, you can have _your_ night like I promised. You'd like that, right?"

"God, _gross_! You're worse than Em and Rose! I swear you guys are going to make my fucking ears bleed!" Her shriek was audible through the phone again as I internally cursed, hoping I was speaking soft enough to prevent Alice from hearing. But then I thought, _oh what the hell_. Let her listen in on everything and maybe she'll leave us alone. It's not like I ever imposed when it came to her and Jasper. I hovered my lips directly above Bella's, feeling her heavy breaths caress my mouth.

"I take your silence as a sign that you're considering it?" I asked, moving closer.

She took her bottom lip in between her teeth and chewed on it in thought before she waved her flag of surrender and dropped the phone. _Yes!_ Her fingers went straight to my hair to yank me down in a fierce kiss that shocked the hell out of me. I let my free hand roam the flatness of her stomach as she pulled me closer to crush our bodies together. I groaned against her mouth, already wishing we could get the handcuffs off so I could touch her body the way I wanted to.

"Yeah, okay, 'let's just leave Alice on the phone so we can make out'? You perverts. Fine, I get it! But I'm coming to dress Bella up at 6, Edward. I don't care if you decide not to come, but I'm not letting you keep her hostage." It was silent for a few seconds before she spoke again. "And good fucking luck at trying to get it on with the handcuffs still attached! Been there, done that, ain't gonna work!"

My phone made a little beep sound to indicate the call was ended as I did a little celebratory dance in my head. Not only had I gotten my annoying pixie of a sister to leave us alone, but I'd also gotten one hell of a kiss out of the situation as well.

And as if she could read my mind, Bella smirked against my lips and murmured, "Don't think that will stop me from going with them, Edward. I think I deserve to have some fun tonight."

I rolled off her with a sigh and threw my arm over my eyes in exasperation. "You _do_ know that Tanya will be there, right? It's at her sister's place."

"Yeah, I heard her say Kate's throwing it. I don't care about Tanya. If I can handle Jacob Black, I can definitely handle Tanya Denali. She's not of my concern, at all. I'm going because I want to have some fun with you and Alice and Emmett and everyone else." She tried pulling my arm away from my face. "Edward, I can understand you not wanting to go. I'd react the same way if I found out Jacob would be there. But if you're not going, at least be okay with me going. You know I love hanging out with your brother and sister."

Reluctantly, I pulled my arm away from my eyes and was met by Bella's big brown ones, silently pleading for me to not be mad that she wanted so badly to go. Stupid Alice. I didn't want to deal with the possibility of drunk Tanya so I was for sure sitting this one out. Bella, on the other hand, was more than willing to put up, so who was I to deny her that? I may be her boyfriend, but I sure as hell am not her father. I couldn't help the sudden desire I had to egg and TP my sister's house for convincing Bella to go to the party. Now I was going to be alone tonight. It made me want to start a fire just so I could run around it and chant "Death to all pixies!" with war paint across my face.

Damn it all.

With a sigh, I flashed her my crooked grin and caressed her face softly. "And they love hanging out with you just as much, love." I chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose. "What makes you think you have to ask me for permission? It's completely up to you."

"Will you be mad?"

"No. Why should I be?"

Her smile widened as she kissed me full on the lips and then on the cheek right after. "Thank you, Edward."

Instead of attempting to do anything else, Bella and I stayed in bed and just waited until the hour came for us to go unlock ourselves. She told me more about how she used to crush on me all those years ago and the stupid stunts she used to pull just to be able to see me. It was flattering, though I really wish she would have just _talked_ to me instead of deciding to inflict damage on herself.

Apparently after I left for college, she still managed to get herself into a few accidents and even asked Carlisle about me from time to time. It made me smile knowing she still thought about me even while I was gone. It made me wonder about how things would be now if she or myself had worked up enough courage to go speak to one another. It would have worked itself out, I'm sure.

But having her with me, regardless of the five year gap, was more than enough for me. It sounded like the corniest bull crap to say I'd wait for her for however long it took, but things were really starting to feel that way.

I guess that's just how things are when you fall in love with someone.

I chuckled to myself, realizing now more than ever how much I really did love Bella.

Our conversation made the time fly by and before I knew it, we were in my Volvo and on our way towards school. She really didn't want to be in the same shirt, so she ended up cutting it off to slip on a tube top Alice had bought for her on one of their shopping trips. I was forced to look away, though I don't know why. I had already seen her without anything on, but I figured it was just Bella being shy. I stayed in my shirt since it wasn't too much of a big deal for me, but ended up changing my pants since I could do that no problem.

For the last awkward time, we climbed out of the car and headed towards our class, seeing more than half of the students enrolled waiting anxiously outside the door. Some still had the cuffs on, some had them off with money in their hands to pay Professor Peterson, and some looked as if they tried to cut them off but failed horribly.

A quick glance at my cell phone let me know it was now 4:08PM, and as if Professor Peterson could read my mind, he opened the door from inside and ushered us all in with a smile. "Ah, my students. How lovely to see you all again. How did everyone handle this week's twist?"

A chorus of mumbles and grunts and frustrated sighs echoed throughout the large classroom as he chuckled and opened up his briefcase to reveal several different keys. "Must you all complain incessantly after every assignment I give you? Does anyone even really realize why I had you do this?"

Nobody spoke as he jingled the keys in the palm of his hand, chuckling softly. "The handcuffs were used to illustrate how different it is when you are bound to one another when _marriage_ is the reason. I've made you guys move in together for the project, but it's different when another type of bond is holding you together, isn't it? It's a lifelong commitment, am I right? Marriage will not always be a fun thing. It's not all cake and champagne and kisses and honeymooning. There will be times when you are annoyed with one another, but you won't be able to escape them. This is what I wanted you all to take out of that - to understand that even though it's hard and very irritating at times, it is worth it in the end if one is patient enough."

He handed Bella and I the key to our handcuffs as we gladly unlocked them. I fought the urge to jump up on the desk and scream "Free at last, free at last! Thank god almighty, we are free at last!" because I'd make an idiot out of myself and Professor Peterson would most likely scold me for standing on the tables.

He congratulated the ones who were able to hold out and gave us pats on the backs for dealing with the assignment well, sending us off on our way once we returned the key and handcuffs. Before we left the classroom, I caught a quick glimpse of Jacob scowling my way, to which I could only roll my eyes. I was so sick of our confrontations and didn't want a reason to be pissed off.

We got to the parking lot and laughed when we realized we didn't have to climb in all weird anymore. Unable to contain my desire to hug and hold and kiss her, I pulled her close to me and pushed her frame up against the door of my car. She giggled and ran both hands through my hair, tugging it gently. "Oh, a day is too long to not be able to do this."

I laughed and took her face between my hands, bending down to properly kiss those soft lips I had claimed as mine. My fingers wandered down her cheeks, across her collar bone, wove into her hair, and anywhere else I could get them to go.

The loud sound of a car door slamming made us both separate from one another. I tried to keep my temper at bay once I saw that Jacob was the one who had done so, but Bella's arms wrapped around my waist helped immensely. Without a word, she smiled and kissed me chastely, opening the passenger door to hop in. It was obvious what she was trying to tell me - that Jacob wasn't worth being aggravated over. I put him and his idiocy into the back of my head and climbed into the Volvo with ease, still elated at the fact that the handcuffs were no more.

* * *

Alice kept her word and was at my apartment by 6pm to do all the things you do to someone before you go to a big party. She shooed me out of my own room, so I was forced to sit on my couch and watch reruns of CSI until she decided to stop playing dress up with my girlfriend. I heard the shower running, a blow dryer, Bella's protests, Alice's yells, zippers, and shuffling. I didn't know what the hell was going on behind my closed door and was just glad for the fact that I was born male.

I felt like barging in when I heard Bella complaining again, but decided against it. If I had walked in on an outfit change, I'm more than sure Alice would chuck herself at me and gouge my eyeballs out even though I had already seen Bella in, well... nothing.

After an eternity in the form of an hour and a half, I finally heard my lock click as the door opened. Turning my head in their direction, I arched a brow and nearly fell off my sofa when Alice finally emerged from my room with Bella right behind her. I'm sure my jaw dropped to the floor and was seriously hoping neither of them noticed my pants feeling tighter. Never had I thought Bella could look any better until that very moment she walked through the door. _Fuckfuckfuck_.

"Like what you're seeing, dear brother? Bet you wish you agreed to go now, don't you?" Alice giggled, patting my cheek as she walked by. She grabbed her keys from inside her purse before tucking it underneath her arm. "Yes, Edward, go ahead and ogle. Give her a kiss and then we'll be on our way. Oh, and don't forget to wipe your puddle of drool later."

Paying attention to her snarky comments were the last thing on my mind as Bella smiled shyly at me once I got up from where I was sitting. Please don't let her see, please don't let her see. Luckily, I had good control and managed to direct my thoughts back to the rated PG stage.

"Is it too much?" she asked, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "The dress and the makeup?"

"Not at all. You look absolutely beautiful."_ God_. To say she was beautiful was an understatement. Not that she didn't look good all the time, but holy _damn_. Her petite body was wrapped in a form fitting ruffled black dress that ended at the middle of her thighs. It was strapless and accentuated her curves divinely. Her dark brown hair fell in cascading waves down her bare milky shoulders and still smelt of strawberries even though Alice had probably sprayed it with some kind of product to stay intact. She had on some very light makeup, eyeliner and mascara just to give her appearance a slight kick. My eyes roamed down her stunning figure and stopped at her choice of footwear. I almost burst out into laughter at that very second. Here she was, looking like an elegant temptress straight out of a magazine with her curls and her body. So, I at least expected Alice to adorn her feet with some ridiculous pair of too-high heels, but instead, she had on her high topped black and white worn-in Chucks I had seen her wear plenty of times before.

Alice must have caught me staring at Bella's feet because she immediately rolled her eyes and groaned in annoyance. "Do NOT think that that was my doing. Bella told me that if I wasn't going to give her any say in anything else that it would only be fair if I let her pick her shoes since she's going to be on her feet all night. I definitely would _not_ have agreed if I knew she was going to wear those."

"They're comfortable, Alice." Bella argued, crossing her arms. "And I'm wearing your skimpy excuse of what a dress is, so leave my shoes alone!"

She giggled her tinkling laugh and waved it off. Her dress was simple, but could still be elegantly defined as Alice. It was short, purple and had thin spaghetti straps. Her eyes had a bit more makeup than Bella's and even with her pair of black high heels, she was still shorter. It never occurred to me just how good Alice was at coordinating outfits and dealing with fashion. "Are you going to kiss her goodbye or not, Edward? We need to leave."

Bella's arms locked around my neck as I picked her up off the ground slightly and pressed my lips to hers. She smelled so good, and looked too gorgeous, and I all of a sudden wanted her all to myself. I didn't want Alice to take her to Kate's, I didn't want her to drink with my siblings, and I didn't want any other guy to get a glimpse at how amazing she looked.

Selfish me wanted her all to myself for tonight. And if Alice wasn't wearing death in the form of heels on her feet, I'd gladly kick her out and ravage her with kisses to make up for the silly disagreement we had earlier.

"Ahem." Alice cleared her throat and tapped her foot impatiently. "I told you that you should have just agreed to come with us. The offer still stands, Edward."

I was just about to deny her again until Bella looked up at me with those chocolate-kissed eyes of hers, using powers she didn't even know she had to get me to say yes. I knew she wanted me to go, but wouldn't force me and for that, I loved her even more. She knew how much I hated dealing with Tanya and wouldn't put me through that if I had any kind of say in it.

"That's okay. Let's get going, shall we?" Bella asked, pulling her dress down to give her legs a bit more coverage. As she walked toward Alice, I followed. Both of them stared at me like I had grown another head and all I could do was just shrug.

"What? A guy can't change his mind?"

They both squealed in delight like the girls they were and I couldn't help but laugh at how easy it was to make either of them happy. Just as Bella laced her fingers through mine, Alice let out a long and heavy sigh as she turned to me. "Good god, Edward, are you not even going to change?"

"I don't have anyone to impress there, so why should I?" After we had gotten the handcuffs off, I finally got to shower and just threw on whatever was around. A black fitted t-shirt and some gray pants that I hadn't worn in a while. Just for the hell of it, I put on my pair of gray Chucks to match Bella which only irritated Alice further.

"What is it with you two and those damn shoes? We're going to a birthday gathering, not the mall. Are you absolutely sure you want to wear that?"

I really didn't see what the big deal was. Kate wouldn't care what I was wearing and neither would any of the other guests who were there for Garret. And just because I knew exactly how to push Alice's buttons, I ran my hand that wasn't wrapped around Bella's waist through my hair and messed it up even more than it was before.

Her eyes grew wide as she slapped her forehead and groaned, "Goddammit Edward Anthony, you are going to be the reason why I'm going to find gray hairs at a young age."

Bella and I laughed hysterically at that and followed her out the door as I mentally prepared myself for the wrath I knew Tanya had in store for me.

* * *

When we arrived at the house, it was already crowded with people dancing and drinking. It looked more like a typical college party rather than a "birthday gathering" as Alice had put it. Emmett and Rosalie were already somewhere around the house and Alice had to go back to pick up Jasper.

"Edward!"

I flinched at the sound of my name but nearly cried out in relief when it was just Kate.

"Thanks for coming," she hugged me tightly and turned to Bella. "you, too, Bella. Thank you so much for coming. You look great, by the way!"

"All thanks to Alice." she laughed, returning the hug as Kate threw her arms around her. It didn't make sense to me how Kate and Tanya were related. Kate was an absolute gem and definitely one of the most down-to-earth girls I have ever met and Tanya... Well, Tanya was a category all her own.

"There's food and drinks in the kitchen. Emmett and Rose are somewhere around here, and the cake will be served soon. I wish I could stay and talk to you guys more, but I really need to make sure my house stays in one piece." She gave me another hug and pressed a friendly kiss to my cheek before scurrying off.

"Kate is so nice. If only her sister were more like her." Bella smiled as I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her to the kitchen where Emmett and Rosalie were. Now see, I don't know why the hell Alice was complaining because Emmett was wearing something very similar to what I was wearing. He had a black long sleeve on, sleeves rolled up to his elbows with a white undershirt peeking out. His jeans were regular and his shoes weren't that fancy either. Rosalie, on the other hand, looked like she spent a little more time getting ready just as Alice and Bella did. Her long blonde hair that hung in loose curls and her extra makeup was proof of that. Her low cut white dress with black flower print all over was one I'd never seen before, so I assumed it was new.

"Wooo, look at you, Bells!" Emmett whooped, handing her a shot. "I'm liking the shoes. Betting Alice had a cow though. And nice to see the handcuffs finally off. You forgive me for the whole WalMart thing, right?"

She rolled her eyes and took the shot from him, holding it up with a smirk on her face. "Sure, sure I forgive you. I'll find some way to get back at you, just watch."

"And that, Bella," Rosalie smiled and grabbed a shot for her and I. "that is exactly why I like you for Edward. Cheers."

"Don't you dare toast without us!" A perky pixie voice screamed out from behind us. Alice and Jasper joined our little circle and we figured everyone could exchange hugs and whatnot later. It seemed like the girls were the only ones who really went all out because Jasper was dressed just as casually as Emmett and I were. His red, white, and grey plaid hoodie matched well with his dark jeans and shoes, so I went out on a limb and guessed Alice had something to do with his outfit choice. But then again, after spending three years with her, perhaps her sense of fashion was just rubbing off on him.

We all made our toast and drank down the shots. The alcohol burned its way down my throat and I decided that would probably be my first and last drink of the night. I had driven us and if I was drunk off my ass, I wouldn't be able to get home and would risk getting caught for driving under the influence. The last thing I needed on top of car payments, cell phone bills, and rent was a damn fine for a DUI. No thanks.

It was only fair to let Bella drink with Alice and Rosalie since she had to babysit me the last time I had played alcoholic BS at Ben's. Jasper, Emmett, and I agreed to be their designated drivers. They deserved to have some fun, especially since all of them spent so much time getting ready. The girls went off on their own for a bit and did their own thing as we had some friendly male bonding over bottles of Corona, Heineken, and pool. Beer was not nearly as strong as alcohol, so I'd be able to drink a bottle or two and still manage to drive fine. My tolerance had gone up anyway.

Every now and then, the girls would come to us with more shots and we had to politely decline each time. Every time they came back, their faces seemed to be redder and their giggles were only getting louder. They were getting drunk, fast. I laughed when Alice swung her arm around Bella's shoulders and slurred some kind of nonsense before they walked off to go dance in the other room with everyone else. The three girls were stumbling all over the place and it was hilarious to say the least.

"Your turn, Edward." Emmett tossed the square of blue chalk at me as I tried to plot how I'd hit the next ball. Jasper already had his turn and was waiting for us to determine who'd play him as he sat back and watched while drinking leisurely from his beer bottle.

"Thought I'd find you here," I completely froze when I felt a hand pull the belt loop of my pants, the sympathetic faces of both Emmett and Jasper easily giving the identity away. They both took long swigs from their bottles, moving out of the way when the devil herself came to wrap her arms around me.

"Good to see you again, Edward! You're looking good tonight." she crooned, as I inwardly groaned. Her breath smelled of pineapples and alcohol and fruit. It was more than obvious that she was already intoxicated, which is exactly what I'd been in fear of the entire night.

I'd dealt with drunk Tanya once before and I hated it. She was the clingy, flirty drunk mixed with the crying, over emotional drunk and all it spelt out for anyone who interacted with her was trouble. I tried to inch away but her grasp on my belt loop was firm. Emmett and Jasper eyed me warily, heading off in the opposite direction to go find Bella. "How much have you had to drink tonight, Tanya?"

She twirled a strand of her strawberry blonde hair around her finger before pouting her lips out in thought. "Not sure. Oh, I saw Bella taking shots in the kitchen with Alice and Rose."

"Yes, I know. I figured it'd be fair if I let Bella have her fun tonight." I put the cue stick back on top of the pool table and tried to pry Tanya away from the loops of my pants. "Look, it was great seeing you and all, but since you mentioned Bella, I think I ought to go find her."

Her small hand gripped my wrist tightly as I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. Easily, I could've ripped my arm away and just tell her to stop, but then I knew she'd run the waterworks and make me look like the bad guy by running to Kate or whoever the hell else just to give me a hard time.

"Can't we just talk for a minute or two? I've missed you terribly, you know." Her other hand made its way to my chest and I knew that's where I had to draw the line. As I was about to push her away, someone else took care of the task for me.

"Tanya!" Bella laughed and pried her away from me with one hand while her other held a small plate with a slice of cake. "You found him for me! I've been looking for him everywhere." Her arm snaked around me as she pressed her lips onto the weak spot of my neck, suckling gently but firmly at the same time. I bit back the groan I wanted to let out and felt her mouth release my skin, knowing she had definitely left a mark. It all of a sudden made sense.

Bella was marking her territory.

She lightly traced her work and kissed it again softly. "You look lovely tonight. So, could you be a sweetheart and try to tempt someone else who isn't my boyfriend? I'd appreciate it, thanks."

The look on Tanya's face as she darted her eyes from my love-bite to Bella then back to me was priceless. Her smoky grey eyes bubbled up with tears of frustration as she turned her nose up into the air and walked off to leave us be. She made sure to "accidentally" bump into Bella and because of that, some of the frosting on the top of the cake smeared itself onto her cheek. It wasn't much, but it was noticeable. I looked around for a napkin but found nothing. "Bella--"

"I'm not going to say sorry to her." she interrupted. "I'm not drunk enough to be okay with her touching up on you like that. I'll _never_ be drunk enough to let Tanya do such a thing."

I flashed her a crooked grin and placed my hands on the pool table behind her, leaning closer to her face. Apologizing was the last thing in my mind, to be quite honest. "Is that my Feisty Bella coming out to say hello?"

She giggled and avoided the topic by holding a forkful of chocolate cake to my mouth, nudging me lightly to take a bite.

I shook my head, wanting her to try it first. With a roll of her eyes, she redirected the fork to her direction and popped it in her mouth. Once she chewed and swallowed it, she murmured something I couldn't quite comprehend, being too fascinated with the chocolate frosting left on her lips and the small amount smeared on her cheek from Tanya. She had another forkful of cake ready to be eaten. "It tastes great. Try it."

I definitely was going to try it.

I let my head fall a little more and pressed my mouth against hers, brushing my tongue against her bottom lip, being instantly met with the flavor of chocolate on my taste buds. She gasped quietly, surprised at my action. Her eyes never left mine as I inched towards the side of her face, feeling one of her hands clench the back of my shirt. I kissed my way up her bare neck and let my lips and tongue do the rest when I found the rest of the frosting. One thing I made sure of was to do it in a way that couldn't be described as licking an ice cream cone or a Tootsie pop. I made sure to do it in a sensual way, a way that I knew could make her knees buckle if done correctly.

Her shallow breaths let me know I did my job well. With a soft chuckle, I moved my lips to her ear, "You're right. It tasted amazing."

Bella put the slice of cake down atop the pool table and pulled at the collar of my shirt. Sexy. "Do you think Alice would hate me forever if I asked you to take me home now?"

The light bulb went off in my head as soon as she said those words. Oh, hell, yes. "How about we tell her you were so wasted that I had no other choice but to bring you home?"

"But that would be a lie."

"She'll forgive you." I whispered into her ear before dragging her down the hall to get to my Volvo outside. As we passed by the table where all of Garret's gifts were set up, I threw down the envelope with the card and money I had been holding and dashed out the door before anyone could catch a glimpse of us leaving.

The hesitant look in her eyes was almost enough to make me waltz back into the house. Almost. With a crooked grin I knew she could never resist, I pulled her close to me and murmured, "It'll be our little secret."

There weren't any protests after that.

* * *

I carried Bella into my apartment bridal-style, regardless of her many complaints and thrashing fists. Once I had the door closed and locked, I kicked off my shoes and tossed her gently onto my bed where she landed with a giggle. Unable to fight back my smile at her elatedness, I bent down and pulled at the laces of her Chucks, taking them along with her socks off to put them to the side.

"Mmm, I owe you for getting Tanya away from me earlier, you sneaky girl, you."

"Really now?" Bella suppressed a soft laugh before hoisting herself up off the bed. I could do nothing but nod as she motioned me towards her lips with her finger. "I'd like to take you up your offer then." Her fingers latched themselves onto the front of my shirt before she whispered, "Tonight is _my_ night."

I froze up as she lifted my fitted plain black tee over my head and pulled me down for a searing kiss. I was more than sure that the alcohol played a big part as to why Bella had all of a sudden become so much more at ease. What was it that Emmett always called it... oh, liquid confidence. And because I knew it would ruin the moment, I didn't bother to ask if she was sure about progressing to do this. If she was good enough to tell off Tanya without slurring her words or making a complete idiot out of herself, I was sure she was making her decisions based on what she wanted to do.

And if this was what she wanted to do, I wasn't going to be the one to complain.

She ran her fingers down my neck with the lightest touch, sending chills all throughout my body as she continued on. Every caress she made had her lips against the exact spot after. Once she got to my abdomen, she traced every indent and kissed every inch to set my body afire. Already I felt myself aching to kiss her, hold her, love her until the break of dawn. Her big brown eyes finally met mine once she reached the top of my pants, silently asking if I was okay with her continuing.

I swear I'd spontaneously combust if she _didn't_ continue.

Bella must have understood me completely because without a word, she moved the zipper down and gently pulled my pants off my legs. Without even realizing it, she managed to get my socks off along with her dress. My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when I realized she was, yet again, wearing another one of those sets Alice had picked out for her.

This time, she had picked the black, which made sense now that I thought back to her outfit. The tempting strapless bra and the lacy ribbon panties were most likely Alice's doing.

I was definitely not complaining.

"Surprise, again." Bella laughed, and I knew if the lights were on, I would have been able to see her face turn a few different shades of red. She was adorable and yet so very provocative at the same time. I reached out to her body, wanting to rememorize the curves she possessed, but she smacked my hand away and nipped gently on my lower lip, and instantly I gave up. Her lips were my drug. Her body was my sanctuary. Goddamn.

In an attempt to distract me, she softly parted my lips with her tongue and let her fingers trail down to the elastic band of my boxers. I placed my hands on each side of her face, deepening the kiss to rid her of her hesitation. I felt my insides swim with anxiousness as she pulled away from me, letting out a slight breath when she managed to get herself to pull my last article of clothing off.

I had never felt more vulnerable since I had never allowed anyone to see me this way. I tore my gaze away from the ceiling and focused them on the woman in front of me. Her eyes seemed to burn with desire as she took the image of me in, making my heart rate a little more erratic than it was before.

And then I felt her graze her fingertips against me as I sharply took in a breath. Frantically, she looked up at me, afraid that she had done something wrong. Unable to form any kind of coherent sentence, I simply shook my head and hoped to dear god she understood that all I wanted her to do was continue.

Before I could get myself to think straight, her small hand circled around my length and made me jerk in surprise. I'm pretty sure she knew better now than to stop, so instead, she took one soft stroke and pretty much sent my mind spiraling into a hazed cloud of lust.

"You okay?" she whispered, kissing the spot where my tattoo was.

"God, yes, Bella. Keep... going. Please." I all but begged, gripping onto the sheet of my bed. Pathetic, I must have sounded, I know. But, I was too far gone to give a damn about how I was making myself look when Bella was working her magic for me, on me. _Damn_.

She didn't need any more reassurance after that and continued to move her hand up and down at the exact pace I was wishing for her to go. _Fuckfuckfuck_, my mind cursed wildly. This wasn't going to last long. It felt too amazing for me to even try to prolong it. "Holy... yes. That feels... so..."

Bella kissed her way back up my chest and to my lips, never ceasing the movement of her hand below us. I couldn't help myself as I threw my hands into her hair and pulled her into a fervent and desperate kiss to show her how much euphoria I was feeling. My hips moved in time with her hand and I just knew it would be any second now.

"Mmmm, Edward.. Let go for me, baby." She murmured my words from the previous night against my mouth, nipping at my bottom lip slightly.

I tightened my fingers in her hair and buried my face into the crook of her neck as I felt everything around me explode, crying out her name with her body pulled close to my own. My heart was going a million miles a minute as I tried desperately to bring myself down from the high she had brought me to. As I panted and quivered from the utter pleasure I had just felt, Bella continued to kiss my neck and forehead and cheeks and everything she could get her lips on while wiping off my chest and stomach with a towel.

"Was... I okay, Edward?" she questioned meekly, tossing the towel aside once she was finished.

_Okay_? Was she seriously asking me if what she just did that left me writhing and thrashing and groaning was _okay_? I was guessing the liquid confidence was long gone.

"It was more than okay, love." So much more than just okay. "It was... I can't even put it into words. Amazing. Thank you."

I held her close to me, wanting to just kiss her for days to repay her for how good she just made me feel. Her lips, her hands, her touch, her smell, everything about her. I couldn't get enough.

She curled herself around me shortly after, our legs and arms all tangled up in one another to represent just how much of a bond her and I had made within the past few days.

I was pretty sure I fell asleep that night with the biggest smile I've ever worn in my life. And it wasn't because of Bella's lingerie, or what she did, or what I did, or any of that nonsense.

It was because, for the first time, I really felt as if Bella and I were on the same page with our feelings for each other. Because she trusted me enough to let me explore her. Because I trusted her enough to let her touch me. Because we both trusted in one another to understand that this was so much more than a physical relationship. So much more than just touching and kissing and feeling.

I was so much in love with Bella Swan.

And it was starting to become obvious that she was probably just as much in love with me, too.

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**End of Chapter Twenty  


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Author's Notes:** It's super late, so forgive me if there are any errors. I'll relook the chapter in the morning and replace the content if there are too many mistakes. And, oh my gosh, sometimes I swear my chapters are too long, LOL. So, how was that? Again, I'm a little nervous to post this up... especially since it was from EPOV. Please be nice! One of the main reasons why I took so long with this chapter was because of the difficulties I was having in writing the sexy time scene. *Breathes through paper bag*

Quick thanks to **Captain Jezebel** and **IcelandGirl812** for helping me put the explanation of the handcuffs into better words. You both are awesome!

Pictures of all their outfits are up on my profile! Check them out if you wish. Oh, and don't forget to check out my other story, _**A Little Less Than Before**_. That one was updated as well! Other than that, I haven't got much to say other than I hope the next chapter will come out MUCH quicker. So sorry once again! Now that I'm done babbling, please do review and try to go easy on me? I need some of Jasper's calming waves or something..

-_**BB**_


	21. Jimmy Choo and Doritos

**Author's Notes:** We reached 1,600 (almost 1,700) reviews? Really?? Oh man, you guys are all sorts of awesome. Every review was pretty much nothing but support and comfort and I can't thank you all enough. Because of Summer/Fall semester sign ups and finals coming up, I've been super swamped and have been throwing myself into my studies.. So I'm sorry that this time around I wasn't able to reply to any reviews, but just know I read each and every single one and can't even begin to explain how happy they make me. So, thank you a million times to everyone!

Oh and, _**Hello, Stranger **_has been nominated at **The Cullen Awards for best W.I.P. (the "Alice" Award) and for AU or AH (the "Rosalie" Award)**! Once again, thank you to whoever nominated the story and if you like it enough, please vote for it when the time comes! The link is in my profile :)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight, but I do own... too many Twilight related products, a black Honda Civic, and a pink Yoshi plush.

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Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

_**Jimmy Choo and Doritos**_

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**Bella Swan**

I awoke with the biggest smirk, feeling positively aloof at what had happened a few hours ago. I got to drink a bit with Alice and Rosalie, I brushed Tanya off, got Edward to lick chocolate off my face, and had _my_ night to get to know Edward's body.

All of the Bella's smiled knowingly at me, probably being very proud of what I had accomplished. Hell, _I_ was proud, too. Girly and Girlfriend Bella decided to take vacations and let Feisty Bella take their place for now. She seemed to be Edward's favorite anyway. She gave me a thumbs up and promised to come out and play if Sexy Edward would make an appearance.

That night was one I don't think I'll forget anytime soon. I was able to strip my Sexy Edward, pun intended, away and reveal a very different side I never knew existed. _Vulnerable_ Edward. He was just as nervous as I was when I let him touch and explore my body the first time. That let me know he had enough trust in me to let my hands feel him, memorize him.

He tended to squirm a lot in his sleep, and one sudden movement of his leg swinging over mine had me feeling what the thoughts in his head were doing to him. I inwardly laughed, trying as hard as I could not to wake him up. Sergeant Bella gave me a knowing smirk as Feisty and Girlfriend wagged their eyebrows suggestively. _Oh yes_, I agreed with them. _I've _definitely_ created a monster._ They nodded in agreement._  
_  
I smoothed the hair away from his face and pressed my lips softly against his forehead. Our four weeks together were almost up. It was our last Wednesday as a "married" couple and even though I knew we would still be together after the assignment was over, I couldn't help but feel a bit sad. How would things be when the four week mark finally came? Would we go back to living alone? I thought back to the week we had to be separated and cringed at the memory of how long I couldn't last without him beside me when I slept. It had become so natural for us to fall asleep in each other's arms, to talk for hours until our bodies shut down on us.

Was it too early in our relationship to suggest moving in officially? We had only been together for roughly three weeks and already I couldn't picture my apartment or his without the other being there. I almost reached over for my phone to call Alice up and see how she and Jasper handled the end of the assignment, but decided against it because she had probably gone home from Kate's more messed up than I was.

Calling Alice early in the morning when she had a killer hangover didn't seem like too smart of an option to choose.

Edward stirred slightly, tensing and relaxing his body as his eyes slowly fluttered open. "You're up?"

I nodded and leaned down to press my lips against his for our usual good morning kiss. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmhm." he hummed lazily, nuzzling his face into my neck.

"Dream about anything?" I asked while biting down on my lip to prevent myself from giggling like an idiot.

"You, mostly." he admitted. "Why do you ask?"

I couldn't help it. I laughed loudly and pointed to his pajama pants that had been a dead giveaway. He muttered something about being embarrassed and turned in the other direction to my dismay. "Oh my god, Edward, calm down. Isn't that normal for a guy in the morning? You act like I've never seen that happen." I pointed out, placing my chin atop his shoulder. "And plus, I think it's quite flattering to know I can do that to you."

"Quite arrogant this morning, aren't we?"

"After what I was able to do last night, yes. I think I should be allowed to gloat even just a little."

He chuckled softly and pulled me close enough to whisper against my lips, "Then shouldn't I be able to gloat as well? If I remember correctly, you pretty much scre-"

My face turned hot and red as I clamped my hand over his mouth. If he thought he was going to get a kiss after that, he was highly mistaken. I couldn't even bear to think about how embarrassing it would be if he chose to gloat about my errr, moment. I'd never be able to live it down. "If you want _any_ sort of chance to have a repeat of last night, you won't say another word that will embarrass the shit out of me."

His hand curled over mine and when he peeled them away, that stupid sexy crooked grin was back on his face. "A little early for Feisty Bella, isn't it?"

"This isn't Feisty Bella, Edward, this is shut-your-trap-if-you-value-sexy-time Bella."

A musical laugh echoed throughout his room as he pulled me onto his lap and kissed my forehead chastely. "Sorry, love." He held his hands up innocently, purposely keeping them away from my chest, legs, and behind. "If I promise to behave, will you kiss me properly?"

I couldn't help but laugh as I rolled my eyes and leaned into his mouth, tilting my head to the side so I could gain better access. His sigh of contentedness washed through me as my hands lost themselves in his messy morning hair. It was as if Edward had some sort of an attraction spell with me. No matter what he wore, or what he said, or how he looked, I always found myself constantly wanting him within my presence. While my body had a mind of its own and pressed itself closer to his, he dropped his hands to the sheets and fisted them tightly. His kisses became much more urgent, his grip tightening to hold himself back from touching me because he said he'd behave.

I couldn't help it. I pushed myself against him, making a soft groan escape his lips as he turned away. "You can't expect me to behave when you do _that_, can you?" He kept his word and didn't let his hands come in contact with my body, which for some reason, really frustrated me. Perhaps I wasn't the only one who had created a monster.

"Well, thank you for behaving." I knew what to do and Feisty Bella definitely approved with two thumbs up. "I'm going to go shower and then I need to go have a chat with Alice and Emmett." I started to get up and wasn't surprised when he mimicked my moves. Gotcha.

"Alice and Em? About what?"

"You'll see. You're going to be a part of it just as much as I am."

He quirked a brow at me and watched as I walked over to the bathroom and grabbed a fresh towel from the drawer he kept them in. Oh, hell yes you can SO do this, Bella.

"Care to join me?" I asked with an innocent smile, holding the soft and fluffy towel to my face.

Edward's eyes widened as he stared at me quizzically. He had that "Who the hell are you and what the fuck have you done to my girlfriend" type of look and I had to stifle back my laughter. Sexy Edward and Vulnerable Edward liked to switch off a lot, I assumed.

His tattoo was peeking out the top of his boxers, teasing and mocking me because of how much I liked it. Too many scenarios were flashing through my head, none of them close to being even remotely appropriate. My back pressed up against the tiles with Edward's mouth on mine, ghosting his hands over every inch of my skin as the showerhead dampened our bodies. His soft, messy hair tangled within my fingers, our heavy breathing steaming the door as we broke for air after our fiery kiss, his tongue licking the water droplets off my neck and shoulder blades followed by butterfly touches with his talented lips.

_Oh my God_.

I let my eyes roam down his well-toned bare chest that he had crossed his arms over, his skin practically glistening beneath the sunlight as he rocked back and forth on his heels. Thank goodness Edward slept shirtless.

"Should I take your ogling as a yes, Edward?"

Feisty Bella let her hair down and smiled knowingly as she stood up from where she was waiting. She was ready to come out and play.

I loosened the tie of my trusty pair of sweatpants and almost laughed as Edward gaped at my now bare legs and lacy black piece of lingerie Alice had picked out for me. Suddenly remembering something that could probably get back at Edward for almost embarrassing me, I smiled angelically and took my hair down from the messy ponytail it was in. "Edward, can I ask you something?"

"Uh huh." He was too busy being a hormonal driven dude to even meet my eyes and I couldn't help giggling at that.

"How many articles of clothing do you think I'm wearing?"

His eyes met mine then, a devilish smirk gracing his features as he smoothed his hair away from his gorgeous face. "My shirt and your lingerie set, which makes three."

"Wrong," I teased, lifting up his shirt to toss it directly at his face. "Just one." I turned towards the bathroom, feeling more confident than ever in nothing but my pair of power panties when I heard his sharp intake of breath.

Oh yeah, I can be sexy too. You're not the only one, Edward Cullen.

Feisty Bella high-fived me and let me know he was right on my tail.

Game on, my sexy lover. Game on.

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Our shower lasted much longer than I thought it would and by the time we were finished, I figured I looked like a pale, wet version of a prune. Apparently, Edward took quite a liking to seeing me in only the panties and rewarded my quick moment of boldness with talented kisses and the best shampooing I think I had ever received.

He was gentle when he needed to be and seductive when the time was right. It was the first time I had seen his bare body in the daytime, so I made sure to take full advantage of how much more defined his arms and chest were when they were illuminated by lights and glistening with water. I don't think there's a sight in the world lovelier than Edward in the shower.

I tried to keep my thoughts clean as Edward ran his thumb over my knuckles on our way to Alice and Jasper's place. We had stopped by the store to pick up some things because even though I was plotting my revenge on her for outing our assignment to Emmett, she was still my friend and I was still concerned.

Jasper opened the door for us once we knocked softly two times to avoid causing their headaches to worsen. He looked wide awake and completely fine to my surprise. I arched a brow at him because even _I_ was slightly hung over. It wasn't much at all, but still. "You look... fine?"

He chuckled and leaned over the kitchen counter, putting his finger over his lips to signal us to keep quiet because Emmett and Rosalie were sprawled over the couch in the clothes they wore the previous night. "It's because I only had that one shot and a beer. Emmett decided to be a knucklehead and ended up getting piss face drunk, so I had to be the designated driver for all of us. They passed out in the car, so I just took them back here to be safe"

Edward stifled back a laugh as he looked over his shoulder. "Damn. So is Emmett's Jeep still at Kate's?"

He nodded and poured himself a cup of coffee. "Yeah. I already called Kate to let her know we'd be swinging by to pick it up later today." His hand curled around the mug he was holding as he arched a brow at the plastic bag in front of me. "What's that, Bella?"

"Hangover remedies."

Jasper shook his head with a humorous smile and helped me unload the things I had purchased. "She's a keeper, Edward."

"Trust me, I know." Edward wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head lovingly.

Once I had everything ready, I tiptoed up the stairs to Alice and Jasper's bedroom and saw her flopped across the bed like a dead fish. According to Jasper, she had drank way more than her usual limit and got drunk faster because of how much she was bouncing around on the dance floor. The alcohol went down quicker that way, or so he said. I sat down on the edge of the bed and giggled softly at her duck clad pink pajama set. I was guessing he didn't have the heart to put her into some frilly, sexy get-up since she was drunk off her ass.

Still, I had to admire the pajamas. They definitely looked like something Alice would own, even though they probably weren't a designer brand.

"Is that you, Bella?" she croaked, turning her body ever so slightly so she could meet my eyes.

"You look... like Hell," I admittedly laughed with a shake of my head.

"I _feel_ like it, too." Alice groaned, throwing her arm over her face. "Make sure I never ever let Emmett give me another Jagerbomb for as long as I live."

"Ahh, Jagermeister. Everyone's worst enemy and best friend at the same time," I grabbed the Tylenol and the fresh orange juice and held them out to her. "This will help you a bit."

She mumbled out a thanks and swallowed down the medicine with the juice, burying herself in the pillows again shortly after. "Why me? I freaking hate my life."

I chose to ignore her random statement and offered the steaming small bowl I was holding to her. "Have some soup,"

"What is _soup_ going to do for my hellish hangover?"

"It will help soothe your stomach and rehydrate your body. Now, drink up."

Alice didn't seem to want to argue, so she followed my order and drank the soup while I went down to check on Emmett and Rose. She had woken up and looked just as bad as Alice. I told her the same thing, to take the Tylenol and drink the juice and soup. When she asked for water instead of juice, I refused and told her juice would replace lost vitamins. The fruit sugar would also boost her energy levels and could help her body get rid of toxins. She didn't argue after my convincing argument and moaned and groaned about never wanting to drink with Alice or Emmett ever again.

I helped Rosalie up the stairs and into something more comfortable than her pricy dress while Edward and Jasper tried to help Emmett out. When we got to the room, Rose settled for one of Jasper's shirts and a pair of Alice's sweatpants. They almost looked like Capri pants since they were much shorter on her longer legs. They both looked like Hell once they flopped down next to each other on the large bed, holding ice packs to their forehead.

I tried not to laugh as I wiped the smeared makeup off their faces and ushered them to try and take showers. Since they weren't in any mood to move at all, I gave up and talked to them about my confusion of what Edward and I were going to do as soon as the assignment was over. They didn't seem to be paying attention, so instead, I rummaged through Alice's side of the closet and gaped at how many pairs of designer shoes she owned. It was expected since she was a personal shopper, but _wow_. I grabbed the pair closest to me, noting they were suede heels by some guy named Jimmy Choo. I raised a brow at the size - 36. If I was only a 6 1/2, there was no way Alice was a 36.

"Hey Alice?"

"Huh." she groaned from the bed, lifting herself slightly to see what I wanted.

"Why is this a size 36?"

Her brow arched at my question before she flopped back down. "You don't know anything do you?" A slight tinkling laugh came from her as she spoke again, "European sizes. That's the Franco suede, a Jimmy Choo original. An elegant open-toed shoe with a striking enameled heel. Those are one of my favorite pairs. Aren't they gorgeous?"

Perfect.

I tried to hide my lack of understanding towards her fashionista talk and slipped my foot into the right shoe. It was snug and uncomfortable, but they would do. I left them out of the closet and told them I'd be back after I checked up on how Emmett was doing. They had gotten him into the guest room of the town house where Emmett was lying on the plush bed looking, once again, like Hell.

"You okay, Emmett?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Nope." he answered. "I feel like shit."

At least he was honest. I left him alone to rest after that and tried to figure out a way how I could put my revenge into play. I could never do it if Alice and Emmett were both in separate rooms and I was really beginning to think they wouldn't care since they were so hungover.

And then I was struck with a shred of brilliance as I sprinted down the stairs, amazed at the fact that I hadn't stumbled or tripped once. Jasper eyed me curiously with the mug of coffee at his lips, daring to even ask what in god's name I was up to. Instead of questioning my motives, he just watched as I gathered everything into my arms and headed back up the stairs. Jasper and Edward were right behind me and as soon as I set the bags down on the floor, I'm pretty sure he figured it all out.

"Oh hell, Bella, are you serious?"

As quietly as I could, I snuck back into the room where the girls were still moaning and groaning and grabbed the shoes. Once I was back out in the hall, I put them on and Jasper and Edward stifled back their laughter from where they were still situated on the stairs.

"Hey, Emmett? Can you come here a sec?"

I kept the shit eating grin on my face as he shouted incoherently while stumbling out of the bed. He leaned against the door frame, his eyes bulging wide open as he stared at what surrounded my feet. Before our arrival, Edward and I stopped by the store and picked up five king-sized bags of nacho cheesier Doritos.

"No freaking way," he breathed, suddenly looking exactly like a child at Christmas time. "Really, Bells? Are those for me?"

"Bella, you wouldn't." Jasper chewed down on his lip and placed his hand over his mouth to prevent blowing my surprise.

I smiled sweetly at the bulky, hungover man I was starting to look at as a somewhat older brother. This is exactly what siblings did to each other, wasn't it? My face lit up with excitement as I lifted a foot up and smashed it right into one of the bags beside me, loud crunches echoing all throughout the quiet hallway.

Oh, hell yes, I would.

"What the hell?! Bella!" Emmett protested as I lifted another foot and hovered it over another bag.

Alice and Rose popped their heads out from the room at that exact moment and the look on that devilish pixie's face was enough to make me roll around in laughter for hours.

"Oh my god, Bella, my Jimmy Choo's!" Alice whined. "What are you doing?! You're going to stain the suede!"

Jasper, Edward, and Rosalie erupted with laughter, only adding fuel to the already blazing fire coursing within me. I let that side take over me as I stomped and danced on every bag of Doritos, relishing in the crunching sound they made whenever the "enameled" heel made contact. I felt like I was in my own version of Flashdance, stepping vigorously over and over in little circles, almost having the desire to whip my hair around like Alex Owens did in the film. All I needed was the "She's a maniac, maniac on the dance floor... And she's dancing like she's never danced before" music in the background and I'd be good to go.

By the time I had every single flavored tortilla chip smashed into bits and pieces, everyone except Alice and Emmett were sprawled on the floor with tears spilling from their eyes. Satisfied, I slipped Alice's Jimmy Choo heels off and set them down, side stepping to the stairwell to avoid broken Doritos getting all over my bare feet.

No words were exchanged because I'm sure they understood the reasoning behind my outburst very well. No one makes Bella Swan buy condoms while being handcuffed and gets away with it.

And in the words of Sir Thomas Browne, I hoped they knew that "women do most delight in revenge".

Oh how very correct you are, Sir Thomas Browne.

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In order to protect myself from being pulled apart limb by limb, Edward and I left immediately after my Flashdance episode. I still couldn't get over the looks on their faces and stifled a laugh. Edward turned to me with a humored crooked grin on his face. I'm sure he knew what was going through my head as he leaned over slightly and kissed my temple. I couldn't help but blush every time Edward was so affectionate towards me in public places. I was used to a gentle squeeze on my knee or a reassuring brush against my knuckles.

Our peers bustled with excitement inside the classroom, probably rejoicing at the fact that this was the last Wednesday of the assignment. Was I really the only one so... disconcerted over the idea of all of this coming to an end?

Professor Peterson walked in then as everyone immediately calmed down. Edward's hand slipped to the familiar and comforting spot on my knee, squeezing softly just as he always did. I placed my hand atop his and focused my attention towards the front of the class.

"Five more days, everyone," he announced with a huge smile, propping his elbows up on his podium. "Yes, and I _am_ referring to the fact that you all have five more days to complete the essay."

He chuckled as many of the students groaned in horror, Edward and myself included. I had worked on my essay whenever I found the time to do so, but it was still a long way from being completed and still lacked about 3,000 words. Edward leaned over again to whisper, "Should we have ourselves a study date tonight?"

I sighed in aggravation and nodded in defeat. As much as I wanted to go out with Edward since we had the day off, it'd only make finishing the essay that much harder. Sure, we went to sleep in the same bed every night but it's different from enjoying yourselves at a restaurant or going to go see a movie together. I wanted a day to feel like Edward's girlfriend, not Edward's wife for once.

"So, I applaud the lot of you that managed to keep the cuffs on for the whole twenty-four hours. I understand it's not the easiest task in the world to be literally attached to someone, so I give you my congrats in being able to complete the twist." He squinted his eyes and counted heads in the classroom, nodding shortly after. "Now, since this is the last class meeting before the essays are due, I want everyone to get into groups to discuss how the assignment has been for you thus far."

He stroked his chin in thought before speaking again. "Wait, no. No groups. To make things easier and quicker, turn to the pair in front of you and discuss things that way."

Oh, fuck my life!

The _one_ time he decides to let us talk to our classmates instead of participating in one large class discussion, Edward and I choose to sit right behind Jake and Leah. _Perfect_. Just perfect.

I was hoping Jake and Leah would be paired with the two people they were sitting in front of, but it didn't work out that way. The first two rows were already paired with one another and the two rows behind us as well. I knew they both were probably feeling just as uncomfortable with the situation as I was as they turned in their seats to face Edward and I.

"Bella, Edward." Leah greeted with a visible squeeze to Jake's hand.

"Leah." I replied to her greeting the same way - monotonous and awkward.

"Jacob," Edward all but sneered, making me pinch the top of his hand.

Jake didn't acknowledge Edward's sad excuse of a "hello" and I honestly wasn't surprised at all. Now that we had that out of the way, how the hell were we supposed to talk about the assignment that pulled us apart from one another? I'm sure no one else in the classroom was paired with their ex's rival like I was. Awkward, awkward, awkward.

"So, umm," Leah started the discussion. "how are you two handling the living arrangements?"

Jacob cringed slightly as Edward and I both sucked in a breath. He turned to me, figuring it be best if I answered it instead. "Well..." I bit my lip in thought. "We switch off every week or so. We've been handling it well."

Pleased at my answer, Leah nodded and I relaxed slightly. The bitchy, aggravating Leah that was at my door with a drunken Jacob all those nights ago seemed to have grown up a bit and was handling this much more maturely than her partner.

"How about you, Leah? How have the living arrangements been for you?" Edward questioned as he laced his fingers with mine underneath the table.

She smiled a small smile. "Well, we're handling them well, too. We don't switch off because I have a dorm in Haggett Hall, so I've just been at Jake's the whole time. It's nice to sleep in a place that isn't the size of a closet," Leah sighed in exasperation and I was suddenly glad I decided on getting a one-room apartment instead of getting a dorm. I did have to swallow down my pride and ask my parents for help with the rent at first, but it was worth it.

Edward nodded his head in understanding. "So, just curious..." He trailed off and pulled our joined hands into his lap. "Are you Jacob an official thing now?"

The question took all of us by surprise and before I could say anything, he gripped my hand tighter to let me know all would be well. Since Jacob looked like he was definitely against answering anything Edward asked, Leah answered instead. "Yes, we are. It makes the living together thing a little more interesting. Don't you think so, Bella?"

I smiled at her genuine answer and was glad that for once, her and I didn't feel like bitter enemies. Sure, she had made out with my boyfriend at the time in a hospital room, but I was mature enough to look past all that because it all - in some sort of twisted way - led me to being with Edward. "Yeah, it does makes things more interesting. Edward tosses and turns a little too much in his sleep though,"

"Says the woman who can drool the damned Nile," Edward muttered softly, making Leah and I laugh as I elbowed him lightly in the stomach.

"I'm sure it's nothing compared to Jake's snoring. Good god, you'd think there was a lawn mower stuck in his throat!"

The three of us laughed, immediately feeling bad for her since she had to put up with that every night. "You know Edward is _so_ obsessed with waking me up in the morning? I hate it sometimes! It's like, 'just let me sleep in you freaking ass'. But, no. And then so I don't get mad at him, he butters me up with banana pancakes."

He turned to me, his brow raised and a small smirk playing at his lips. "What about you Ms. No-buts-about-hanging-out-with-family and your little spider monkey stunt following it? I had absolutely no say in that day we went to the beach."

"That's nothing. What about you waking me up at four in the morning, hm? It was still dark outside, Edward."

"It was for a good reason. The sunrise was well worth it, wasn't it, Isabella?"

While Leah giggled at our irrelevant couple-banter, Jacob slammed his hand a little too loudly down on the desk and snorted. "Bells," He purposely addressed me only. "As _lovely_ as it is to hear about you and Cullen's relationship, can we change topics?"

My brows furrowed at him. "The main purpose of Professor Peterson telling us to discuss this in groups was to talk about how everything has been so far."

"Why don't we just talk about the essay or something instead?"

Leah bit her lip and heaved a sigh. "Jake, I thought you were fine with Bella and Edward. You told me it didn't matter to you anymore."

"It doesn't," he replied nonchalantly.

"If you don't care, then why is it such a big deal? I, for one, want to hear more. I think it's interesting that this whole project turned into so much more than just an assignment. For all of us." She smiled apologetically at us, releasing her hold on Jacob's hand. "So, how did you two handle the separation twist? Wasn't that the craziest thing? I never would have expected that!"

"I didn't expect it at all," Edward agreed. "In fact, believe it or not, Bella and I didn't even make it through the two days. I mean, I know that was the point and everything, but still. It shocked me at how very much it bothered me to be away from her."

Leah was about to speak again until Jacob cut her off. "No one asked, Cullen."

Her brown eyes filled with irritation as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I didn't ask, but I made it obvious I wanted to hear his opinion. Can't you be civil, at least for now, Jake? Please?" When he didn't answer her, she huffed in annoyance and grabbed his chin, forcing his evasive eyes to meet hers. "If this is because of him 'taking Bella away' or your stupid family drama or whatever the hell else, let it the fuck go, Jacob Black. That's all I'm asking of you."

Our eyes widened at her sudden outburst of anger. I couldn't blame her for getting upset though. Sensing my shift in emotion, Edward, once again, gave my fingers a gentle squeeze to ease me.

"Leah, it's okay-"

She cut Edward off. "No, it sure as hell is _not_ okay. This has been going on for too long and I am so sick of watching you mope around, Jake. I know you think you lost Bella to Edward, but could you at least _try_ to see some positive in that? Aren't you happy at all that I'm here?"

"Leah," I tried to speak but she didn't let me either.

"No, no. Let me say this." She turned to me with apologetic eyes. "Bella, I'm sorry. I really am sorry for hurting you, but at the same time I'm _not_ sorry. I'm not sorry because, well, I _like_ Jake. I like him a lot and it's obvious you have pretty strong feelings for Edward, right?"

Jacob tried to shut himself out of the conversation, but she wasn't having that. It made me wonder if she had her own Sergeant Leah marching around in her head.

"Jacob, _I_ am your girlfriend. Not Bella, not anymore. You fucked up; deal with it. I stood by you when you told me you wanted her so, treat me with the respect I deserve for sticking around and treat Bella with the respect she deserves for putting up with your crap," Leah grabbed his chin again. "And treat Edward with the respect he deserves for picking up the pieces you left behind when you chose me instead."

I wanted to jump up and hug her for being so blunt because she said exactly what I've been wanting to say for the past three weeks. Edward seemed amazed by her speech as well, staring at her in obvious shock as his hand relaxed within mine.

Jacob's brows furrowed. "What the hell does this have to do with the assignment, Leah?"

"It has everything to do with the assignment, Jake!" she argued. "This is supposed to throw us into the reality of marriage. But unlike everyone else who's learning and growing from this experience, I'm getting nothing except a bigger bed to sleep in at night! This is not what marriage is supposed to feel like and that was the whole purpose! Now we only have five days left and I've got absolutely nothing to write my paper on other than the insignificant times we've fallen asleep together."

"And letting go of all my pent up rage is going to make this feel more like a marriage?"

"Yes!" she shouted, losing her strong-willed tone. "Yes, because then you'll be able to focus on _me_ and not every other thing around us. I've put everything I can into doing this thing full-on, but it's hard when you don't meet me halfway. Professor Peterson can see through the lies, Jake. Remember? I can't write a paper about my experience if I've got none."

All of us were completely silent. Everyone else around us chattered leisurely about the assignment and how it was all going, entirely oblivious to Leah basically throwing her heart at Jacob's face. I felt so bad for her, realizing all she wanted was for him to make her feel the way Edward was making me feel every day. She didn't hate me or Edward the way she used to make it seem, she just wanted what we had.

"Fine," Jacob sighed, turning to us. "I owe Leah that much at least for being such an ass these past few weeks."

"So then why don't you both talk about this drama so you can understand how ridiculous it all is?" Leah suggested, urging Jacob on with a reassuring squeeze to his shoulder.

My breath caught in my throat because I knew what this meant. This was Jacob's silent agreement to forget all the bullshit that went on between their families all those years ago. This was his surrender to it all, his way of finally letting it go.

He was ready to throw it all out there and this time, instead of trying to avoid hearing anything about it, I couldn't wait to hear the full story.

* * *

*********

**End of Chapter Twenty-One**

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**Author's Notes:** Three cheers for Leah and the Black/Cullen drama finally being revealed next chapter? Now as all of you may have already figured, this story is almost over :( I'm guessing about maybe, 5-6 more chapters tops. But let's not think about that until the time comes, shall we?

On another note! I can't take any credit for the Jimmy Choo Doritos scene. Team Sparkle thought it up, so thank you once again for letting me use it! The only thing I take credit for regarding that is the Flashdance reference. If you haven't seen the "Maniac" scene from that movie, go check it out! I hope that made you all giggle a little :)

A Jagerbomb is a shot of Jagermeister dropped into a cup of Red Bull. I've never tried it, so I trusted my brother's opinion when he told me they tend to really mess you up.

"Power panties" is a reference to the story _**The Office**_ by tby789, and if you'd like to read about the panty-ripping Edward, go check it out! It's in my favorites.

Again, I'm so sorry I didn't reply to any reviews the last chapter, but I promise to try harder this time! Questions or concerns? I'd love to hear from all of you!

-_**BB**_


	22. Agree to Disagree

**Author's Notes:** Thanks so much for not only 1,700 but for 1,800 reviews as well! You guys are the best! So sorry for the delay though. I've been really sick, but I'm finally starting to get better. The weather keeps changing and it's really throwing my system off. Lots of rest, medicine, and fluids have been helping. So in return for my absence, I give you a chapter with some _very_ sexy time in EPOV! Yay!

If you guys didn't already know, voting over at **The Cullen Awards** has started!

_**Hello, Stranger**_ is up for the** Alice Award (Best W.I.P.) **and for the** Rosalie Award (Best AU or AH).**

_**A Little Less Than Before**_ is up for the** Jasper Award (Best Angst).**

And I'm up for the **Stephenie Meyer Award**, which is for the best author! I'd appreciate it a lot if you went over and voted, even if it's not for me. I'm up against stiff competition after all. But, if you DO vote for me, many more thanks! Here's the link: http://app(DOT)formassembly(DOT)com/forms/view/88183 .. Just get rid of the (DOT)s and replace them with real dots. Thanks guys! :)

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own. Sigh.

* * *

**Hello, Stranger**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

_**Agree to Disagree**_

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*****

_**Edward Cullen  
**_

_**  
**_Bella and Leah's eyes shifted from me to Jacob, trying to figure out who would speak first. I didn't know where to start. There was so much to say and such little time to get it all out there. Bella squeezed my hand in reassurance, letting me know that whatever happened, she'd be there. By my side.

And I fucking loved her for it.

"First of all," Leah spoke up. "do you guys actually hate each other, or is it all just a misunderstanding?"

The attention turned to me, and because I knew Jacob was still too stubborn to throw his word out first, I gave in. "I never had a reason to legitimately hate Jacob. I was well aware of the drama his family had with mine, but I never found it in myself to care since it happened so long ago."

"Then, what's with all this bullshit, Cullen? All this threatening back and forth, if you don't hate me?" Jacob asked, his voice laced with annoyance. "If this is all a show for Bells-"

"It's _not_." I interrupted, getting slightly irritated as well. "Why should I hold some grudge just because our family didn't get along in the past?"

"You're obviously holding _some_ kind of a grudge. You get defensive as hell when Bella is involved."

"Because Bella is my _girlfriend_," I countered. "The reason I get so aggravated is because every time you come along, you either try to weasel your way back into her life or you make her upset. What kind of a boyfriend would I be if I didn't try to steer her away from that?"

"So, you going after her had nothing to do with our family's feud?"

I shook my head and heaved a sigh, wondering if this really was going to go anywhere or not. "Why the hell would I force myself to be interested in a girl _just_ to get back at you for something that wasn't even your fault? I thought you'd be able to tell just how much I really do care for her by now."

"What else was I supposed to expect? You were right there when I messed up. Like you were waiting for it, or like you knew it was going to happen and were just waiting for your chance to become her knight in shining armor."

Leah huffed and slammed her hand down on the table. It wasn't loud enough to distract anyone else from their group discussions, but was enough to get the attention of all of us. "The purpose of me bringing this up was to get your _family_ crap out there, not to discuss both of your feelings towards Bella." She looked over at Bella and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Bella. I don't mean to be rude."

"No, it's fine. I don't want to hear about it either." she agreed, giving my hand another gentle squeeze. "Jake, Edward and I being together has absolutely nothing to do with your family's history. Trust me."

He snorted and sat back in his seat lazily. "Okay, well then, you tell me what Daddy Carlisle told _you_ about all of this."

I shrugged and decided to go with the truth. "_Daddy Carlisle_ and the rest of my family don't talk about it much. I'm sure you don't know this, but my sister and brother aren't related to me by blood. We're Carlisle and Esme's adopted kids."

Leah and Jacob's eyes widened at this, both seeming to be suddenly interested in what I had to say. It couldn't have come off as too much of a shock, right? None of us looked alike.

"I remember him mentioning it briefly when we were old enough to understand it somewhat. Something about Carlisle's great great great..."

"Yeah, they're _old_. We get it. Just include one great and I'm sure we'll figure it out from there. The story will be easier to follow." Leah insisted.

I nodded and continued on. "Carlisle's great grandfather and other pastors led hunts to rid the area of evil, witches, and all that other stuff that doesn't exist anymore. One day, while they were keeping watch of the area, they came across someone who seemed to be possessed by the devil. He was screaming, shrieking out incoherent things, and because they were frightened of what he was capable of, they killed him."

"Turns out, that person that Cullen's great grandfather killed was _my_ great grandfather." Jacob joined in, arms still crossed and still refusing to make any sort of eye contact with me. "An all-out war started between the Cullens and the Blacks after that. Neither side had any sort of mercy towards the other."

"Competitions broke out. Competitions to try and prove which family was better because anything was better than being lower than the enemy." I added. I personally thought it was all a stupid misunderstanding.

"Wait a second," Bella interrupted, shifting her gaze between Jacob and I. "It _had_ to have been some sort of a mistake, right? Carlisle's great grandfather was just concerned about the well-being of his people. Didn't they talk things out?"

Jacob shrugged. "They were so blind-sighted by their fury of the Cullens murdering one of their own that I guess an explanation was never needed. When Dad told me the story, I was just as pissed off. I mean, fuck. Didn't your family feel any kind of remorse at all?"

"Of course they did," I argued. "You think they threw a celebration when they found out they killed an innocent person? Carlisle's family may not be my family by blood, but he is the only father I've ever known. This Cullen Black bullshit has nothing to do with me, but he's my dad, and I stand by what he tells me."

Both Leah and Bella sighed in unison. Leah smoothed her dark hair down and turned to Jacob. "Would you just _listen_ to Edward? Stop jumping to conclusions and let him finish his side of the story."

It was amazing how much of a strong person she was when it came to keeping Jacob in check. I appreciated her more for that.

"Carlisle told me that after examining the damage they had done to him, it was revealed that Billy's great grandfather had attempted suicide. He was delusional and screaming because he swallowed some kind of poison. It makes you bleed to death from the inside out."

Jacob remained silent as Leah turned to him, eyes widened in surprise. "Jake, is that true?"

"Billy mentioned something about his great grandfather crumbling beneath the pressure of being the leader of his tribe. Something like he was too young to handle it all. I wasn't sure if he really tried to kill himself though. That's the first time I've heard that."

I shrugged. "That's what Carlisle told us. He said that if they hadn't had run into him, he'd die an even slower and more painful death. They thought he was possessed because of how loud and how eerie his screams were. Wouldn't you have thought something was off if you ran into someone like that?"

Jacob was quiet for a minute before he slowly nodded. "Yeah, I guess. Still though, they could have just _asked_ what was wrong instead of just piercing him through the heart without warning."

"Because he would _really_ be able to answer them in the state he was in, right, Jake?" Leah asked sarcastically.

"Well, I'm not going to deny the fact that they _should_ have investigated further before coming to such a drastic conclusion, but what can we do about it now? I can't bring your great grandfather back from the dead, Jacob." I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "But, I can... apologize on my family's behalf. I don't know what good it will do, but make of it what you will. I am sorry.

"My family, they've been over it for years. Just remember that. That night we were drunk and I hit you in the face, Jacob, I could've sworn Carlisle would yell at me and lecture me about doing that. I knew he'd think it was because of our family's shit because he had no clue about what was going on between you, Bella, and I."

I sighed and ran my free hand through my hair. "I always thought this was all a crazy Romeo and Juliet wannabe type of thing. Your family hates my family, blah blah. But, hating each other for no reason is such a waste of time, and I don't want to keep doing that. As long as you understand and respect the fact that Bella is _my_ girlfriend now, I've got nothing against you."

Bella smiled at me and leaned over, completely unfazed by Jacob or Leah as she placed a soft kiss against the weak spot of my neck. "I can't believe how mature you are for apologizing. I'm so proud of you."

For once, Jacob didn't try to interfere our moment and instead stayed where he was, holding onto Leah's hand. He didn't make any crude remarks, or snort at our displays of affection, or anything like that. Bella finally pulled away and laughed to herself. "How embarrassing is it that we're the only ones still in here?"

All of us looked around the room and realized everybody was gone, including Professor Peterson. We all stood up and gathered our things since nothing else needed to be said or discussed anymore. Bella and I were headed for one direction while Jacob and Leah were headed in the other.

"Hey," He turned to Bella, a small smile playing on his lips as he extended his arms towards her. "I'm sorry for everything, Bells. You forgive me?"

She stayed where she was, wondering and debating whether or not she should take the offer of his open arms.

"No more games, I promise." Jacob laughed. "I've been neglecting Leah too much and I already know just how much you and Cullen care about each other. I just... I miss my best friend."

Bella smiled then and took a step forward, wrapping her arms around his torso as he snaked his around her shoulders. For once, that's all it was. A hug between two friends who had been fighting for too long. It wasn't anything more, nor was it anything less. He pulled back and placed a chaste kiss on the top of her head, turning to me once more as he released his hold on her.

"One word about you ever hurting her and I'm back to hating the shit out of you."

"You don't have to worry about that, Jacob." I chuckled as Bella slipped her hand into mine.

He smirked and did the same with Leah. "Surprisingly, I believe you." With a slight laugh, he shook his head and turned back to me. "And, I think that's why I hated you for the longest time. Not so much because of our Romeo-Juliet family feud, but because I already knew you were so much better of a guy to Bells than I ever was. And, I mean, that was one hard kick in the gut for me because you've only known her for, what, a month? I've known Bells my whole life and I was never half the man you are to her. I can't make up for what I did, but I can promise you," he turned to Bella. "Bells, I'll be a better boyfriend to Leah. I won't treat her the way I treated you."

She smiled and nodded. "That's good, Jake. She deserves it for sticking around."

"And, hey, Cullen?"

I turned back to Jacob, who had his hand out and a nonchalant look on his face. With a brow arched, I placed my hand in his and we shook on it. It wasn't a truce or surrender or even an agreement to get along, just an understanding of where the other was coming from. So maybe he didn't believe Carlisle's side of the story and maybe I was still bitter at him for thinking of my only father as a murderer, but it was a step up from what we were before.

We weren't friends, but we weren't enemies anymore either. We were two individuals tied together because of Bella. Two very different people who finally put the bullshit aside.

And that was fine with me.

* * *

"So, how are you going to start yours off?" Bella asked as she held out her chopsticks holding lo mein to my mouth.

I took the offered noodles and chewed while thinking of an answer. "I already have an idea of how I want to start the essay off. I think I'll talk about marriage outside of this assignment. Like, how I see my parents and stuff together. Does that make sense?"

She nodded and shuffled through her drafts and other pieces of paper as she chewed on a piece of shrimp I fed her. Since Bella and I decided on having a study date tonight, we ordered Chinese food, and situated ourselves atop my bed that was scattered about with binders, paper, my laptop, pens, pencils, and white-out.

"What are you going to write about the first week's twist? The wedding veil and garter?" Bella asked, taking a sip of her soda before she set it back down on my nightstand. "I only have 'embarrassing to the extreme' written down. I need more info, so give me what you've got."

I laughed and offered her a snap pea I found within my takeout box, knowing she loved them. "I don't think I have much written down for that week either. Oh, hold on a second. I have that you told me to put your arm around you so people would stop looking."

"What was even the point of that lesson?" she asked with a slap to her forehead. "I mean, you're supposed to be looked at with happiness because everyone's _glad_ for you, right?"

"Maybe us looking happy was the point then?" I suggested, digging through my noodles to find a piece of beef. Did I give it all to Bella? "For the first few minutes we were out on the street, I'm sure we must have looked uncomfortable. It was after you and Jacob split, right? So, it was a little awkward for us at first and I'm sure it must have seemed that way. An awkward couple who had just gotten married is bound to receive awkward looks."

"And once we acted like a _happy_ couple who had just gotten married, everything changed." Bella added, smiling as she jotted down her thoughts.

"Exactly." I chuckled, bending down to give her a quick kiss. "Mmmm, you had sauce on your lips. Did you do that on purpose?" I pushed my laptop aside and circled my arms around her waist, nuzzling my face into her neck.

She slapped my chest playfully. "Stop that. We're never going to get this done if all you do is try to make out every five seconds!"

"But, I waited what like, two minutes that time. Cut me some slack." I laughed, kissing a trail up her neck and ended at her lips. "We've been working on this for an hour already, love. Can't we take a break?"

"Later," Bella laughed. "Now the two week separation twist. Tell me your thoughts on it."

Hmm, later. I'd definitely hold her to that. "I was going to admit that I was weak and couldn't stay away. But, it was the whole point of the assignment to break the rules, so I don't know what to write now. I don't have anything written down for it, but I remember the days all too well. I remember bending the rules a bit to see you. I texted you and even wrote on U.S. currency."

"I still have that five-dollar bill you know." Bella smiled. "I couldn't believe you'd do such a thing!"

"Yeah, I broke the law for you."

"What?! Is it illegal to write on currency?"

"Well, yes. But that law is rarely enforced and you usually only get caught if they actually catch you _in_ the action of writing on it." I laughed when she playfully swatted my arm. "I've got that cup still, as well. You're not the only one who keeps those types of things."

"You kept it?"

I nodded and pointed to the top of my dresser where the medium Java Monster cup that I rinsed out stood tall and proud, scribbled with Bella's love note. She gave me a kiss for that, and went back to discussing the assignment after.

"The handcuffs. How did you feel about those?" I asked, putting aside my box of Chinese food. "In my notes, I wrote that I was annoyed at such little things. Like the whole showering thing, and us getting into a disagreement over condoms of all things."

She threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, gosh, I pretty much have the same things written down. Remember the night we first got them on? How we were trying to be all sexy with each other, but couldn't because of how awkward it was to have my hand dangling here?"

"That was the worst," I admitted. "And how stupid we looked every time we climbed into the Volvo." I shook my head in remembrance of the situation, hoping to never deal with something like that ever again.

She was silent for a second until I realized she was still scanning through her notes and because I knew she wanted to get it done, I released her and went back to typing on my laptop. The essay didn't seem like it would be too hard. All we really had to do was retell the four weeks through a first person perspective. Five thousand words was a lot, but I knew I could do it since I had more than enough to say about the entire thing. "Bella, did Professor Peterson say if we had to include anything about week four? We're not doing anything, right? We're just turning in our work since that's the end of the assignment?"

Her brows were furrowed as she remained silent, staring down at her piece of paper. I nudged her with my elbow to get her attention and she finally turned to me, her lips slightly parted with a questioning look on her face. "Huh?"

"What are you reading?" I asked with a chuckle as I snatched the piece of paper she was staring down. I scanned through the many words scribbled on it and stopped.

_Be sure to thank Professor Peterson for partnering me up with someone like Edward._

A smile played on my lips as I continued reading.

_Someone once told me that there are no time limits when it comes to your emotions, that sometimes you just can't help how you feel about someone. Being around you is the easiest thing I've ever had to do, and something I'd gladly do over and over._

Bella's hand caressed the side of my face as I looked at the last line on the paper.

_Be my girlfriend?_

"Now, I remember this," I chuckled softly, turning to her lovely brown eyes that were pooling with small tears of happiness. "I'm surprised you didn't scribble it out."

"Why would I scribble it out? It was value to me." she laughed, wiping at the few tears she had shed while rereading my lines of corniness. "I can't believe this assignment is almost over. It's how it all started."

"Just because the assignment is ending, doesn't mean that anything else has to, love. Look at Alice and Jasper. They've been together for years. Did you think that when this whole thing ended, so would you and I?"

She shook her head and snuggled into my chest. "No, it's just that this assignment has a special place in my heart now. I'm excited to see how things will go after it's over."

I kissed her forehead and held her close to me, inhaling her strawberry scented hair that I washed for her earlier. The simple thought of her right beside me in the shower as the water fell over both our bare bodies was starting to stir those arousing emotions within me as I fought to keep them back. We were having one of those _moments_ and me getting all turned on wasn't going to do us any good.

But, Bella never failed to surprise me. Her hand ghosted over the lower half of my waist as my eyes widened in surprise, tightening my grip on her as she looked up at me innocently. _Damn_. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know, Edward, what _am_ I doing?" She shrugged and shoved all our schoolwork to the floor and because I was an unexplainable moron, I became even more turned on.

"Our essays, Bella," I wanted nothing more than to fucking shut up because my girlfriend was touching me and holding me and I was talking about _school._ "We need to get them finished."

"Fine. I thought you wanted to take a break?" Bella arched a brow and pushed herself off me. "You're right though, Edward. Let's finish our work."

Without a second thought, I grabbed Bella's wrist and pulled her roughly to my lips, moving them against hers as I snaked a hand up the small of her back and sighed against her mouth. "Fuck our essays." I wanted her too damn much to even think about anything else. If I tried to write with my mind in the place it was currently at, Professor Peterson would be reading five thousand words of Bella's beautiful body I was still working to memorize and worship.

We couldn't have that, now could we?

I shoved the rest of the stuff on my bed aside, and pulled her down with me so she was straddling my waist. She was more than compliant with my actions as she slipped her hands underneath my shirt to caress every inch of skin from my stomach up to my shoulders. I groaned against her, feeling the electricity her fingertips left as my hands tightened on her hips.

She pulled away from me to tug the shirt up over my head as I followed her lead and lifted my arms up so she could do so. There was something so incredibly sexy about _this_ Bella. My Bella was sweet and clumsy and shy and everything I remembered she was five years ago. This Bella was feisty and sexy and could set my body on fire with her caresses and lips. They were two very different sides of her and I loved them both the same.

And they were both mine. Mine, mine, _mine_.

I slipped my hands underneath and reveled in how soft her skin was. She repeated my previous move and lifted up her arms so I could yank the shirt off, and I had to fight back the growl I wanted to release when I saw what was underneath.

She had, yet again, put on the last and final set she had bought with Alice. Because we left the dim lights on, I could see her curves much better. The pink bra was absolutely divine on her, and I suddenly loved my sister so much. Alice drove me crazy, but she definitely knew how to shop. Bella must have known I wanted to see it as a set. She took her bottom lip between her teeth the way she knew I went crazy over, and slowly tugged down her pajama pants.

I took in a breath through my nose and drank in the sight of her before me. Bella was just as beautiful in lingerie as she was naked. I could look at her day after day and still be so mind boggled at how entirely gorgeous she was.

"You like?" she teased with a shy giggle, making her way back towards me.

"Jesus Christ, Bella, you're going to be the death of me." I mumbled as I ghosted my hands over the fabric of her bra, leaning in closer to nip at the bare skin of her shoulder.

By the time she had moved her hands down to the waistband of my pants I usually slept in, my head was clouded with one too many thoughts of how it would be with her beneath me as I explored her from the inside. I hated thinking like such a hormonal driven teenager, imagining my girlfriend's face and sounds as I moved above her, but it couldn't be helped.

Her lips left my mouth, and trailed down my collar bone, chest, and stomach until she reached the area that was crying out most for her attention. In one movement, she had my pants off, and I was lying beneath her once again, feeling just as vulnerable as I did before. Bella traced my left hipbone with her tongue, kissing it gently right after.

I gripped the bed sheets within my grasp as I sighed and thought back to the day I was lying down and getting the Cullen crest inked on my body. Thank you, Alice, for picking that spot for me. I know I noogied your head until there was no tomorrow and swore and ranted, but I forgive you, and I fucking love you for choosing that place for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Before I could comprehend what was going on around me, the cold air of the room hit my bare skin as I jumped up in slight shock. Bella was giggling from her spot, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook with laughter. My eyes narrowed as I tried to feign anger. "Bella, it doesn't exactly make me feel too great that you're laughing at me while I'm _naked_."

She laughed again and if she hadn't been so goddamned close to my arousal, I'm sure it would have been long gone at that point. She was not helping, at all. Slightly frustrated that she was pretty much killing my buzz, I reached behind her and tried to undo the clasp.

Bella smacked my hands away and shoved me back down, clicking her tongue at my attempt to take her remaining articles of clothing off. "Behave, Edward."

Arguing was the farthest thing from my mind once I finally realized what she was trying to do. "Bella, you don't have to. Come here, lie next to me-"

"You talk too much sometimes." Bella sighed.

I was about to open my mouth again to tell her she really didn't have to do this, even though I was desperately, pathetically hoping she would. My words didn't make it out because her soft hand wrapped around me like the previous night and I was back to bliss. Maybe now I could find some sort of control because I had been through this before. I let out a shaky breath and nearly choked on air when I felt something other than just her hand below me. I had an idea that this was probably what she was planning on, but I couldn't help the shock that came with her actually doing so.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Bella," I let out a strangled groan and twisted the sheets beneath me, trying to focus on something other than where her lips were, otherwise I'd lose it all too soon.

She did nothing but continue, up and down, in and out, and holy fucking hell, it was absolutely _amazing_. My chest was heaving and my breaths were coming out as grunts and groans of sheer pleasure. I didn't understand how someone so inexperienced could be so good, but I wasn't going to complain. I knew I was the only one she had ever been this intimate with, so I wasn't going to question it.

"Edward." Bella whispered, stroking my thighs gently. Part of me was happy she stopped even for a little so I could restrain myself and the other part of me wanted to tell her to keep going because I had never felt anything like that in my life.

"Edward," she whispered again, placing her hands atop mine to pry them off the blanket I had had a death grip on. "Relax. Just enjoy. This is about you tonight. I want to make you feel good."

"You do, Bella, god, you do." I mumbled breathlessly, releasing the sheets.

She smiled at me and kissed my inner thigh before taking me in her mouth again. I let out a few expletives because I still wasn't used to good it was, but relaxed like she told me to and just enjoyed the feel of it.

"So... so _good_, love. Holy shit,"

She hummed in appreciation as I groaned loudly, feeling every single vibration of her vocal chords around me. I wanted to prolong the moment, wanted to let her enjoy this as much as I was, but with her doing things like that, and her mouth and her lips and the warmth... it was all too much.

"You... you have, to get off. You have... to... _Fuck_," I cursed, failing horribly at saying what I needed to say. This only spurred her on as she quickened her pace, making me grip the sheets again because she was going to be the death of me. "Bella, oh, god."

That same sound came from her once again as she looked at me from underneath her eyelashes, and damn it all, she was so _beautiful_. It was not helping. I needed to get her off.

"Bella, please," I all but begged, pulling on her arms. "You have to get off. Now."

Finally compliant with my request, she backed away and ran her hand up and down a few more times. I was tossed off the edge then, groaning out her name, and another round of quiet expletives as I tried to get my body to come down from the high it had just been on.

As I stayed where I was, a sweating and panting mess, Bella wiped my stomach clean with one of our towels from earlier. Once she was finished, she snuggled up next to me and leaned down to press her lips against mine. I threaded my fingers through her hair and pulled her closer, thanking her the only way I was capable of at that moment.

I ran my tongue along her bottom lip, not even caring where she had just been not even two minutes ago. I wanted so badly to tell her I loved her, to let her know with words just how much she fucking meant to me, but decided against it for now.

I couldn't tell her I loved her for the first time after something like that. It'd seem like I was only saying it in exchange, which was most definitely not the case. My arms snaked around her waist as I pulled her closer, stroking her soft tongue with my own in our heated act of intimacy. She moaned quietly against my mouth, moving her hands to my hair to pull on it softly the way she always did.

"Mmmm, Edward," she smiled once we broke for air. "I told you tonight was about you. So, keep your hands where they are and don't you dare try to cop a feel."

With a laugh against her skin, I ghosted my lips over the spot just below her ear. She let out a slight gasp as I ran my tongue along that sensitive area of her neck, grazing it with the lightest scrape of my teeth. Her fingers tightened in my hair as I suckled her skin a little rougher than I usually did. I had a purpose this time.

I released her skin from my mouth and kissed the area once more. She was mine, and even though it was such a small way of showing it, I didn't care.

_I love you, Bella. God, I love you so much._

And soon enough, I'd let her know because I was only falling more and more.

The next morning, I woke up without Bella lying next to me like I thought she'd be. I blinked a few times to rid myself of the bits of sleep that remained and to get adjusted to the early sunlight. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, phone held to her ear and whispering in a tone even I couldn't hear. I didn't want to interrupt her call, so I just stayed where I was and stared up at the ceiling, doing the best I could to keep my thoughts away from the night before to avoid getting too... excited. It was something I had always heard about and something I knew existed, but didn't know whether or not would be a reality for me.

Bella had made it a reality for me. And for some reason, not because I was a testosterone-driven hormonal dude, I loved her even more.

Finally, she snapped her phone closed and turned to me with a small smile. She was wearing my shirt from last night, and as she crawled over to me, I caught a glimpse of her sexy pink panties.

"Who was that so early in the morning?" I asked, nuzzling my nose into her hair.

"That was my mom, Edward. Renee. I told you about her, remember?"

"Mmmm... the one who lives in Phoenix?"

"Yeah."

"Oh," I mused, pushing the stray strands of hair that were falling in front of her face. "What were you guys talking about?"

Bella sighed and dragged her index finger along my jaw line and collar bone. "My mom... she, umm, wants me to move back to Phoenix."

My heart fucking dropped into my stomach.

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_*********_

_**End of Chapter Twenty-Two**_

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**Author's Notes:** And so the _slight_ drama begins. Yes, I said slight, so don't murder me! I know this wasn't as long as my usual chapters, but I gave you fluff and sexy time, so no complaints right? At least I hope not. Haha! Don't worry my dear readers, I can promise you this story will end with a HEA (happily ever after) for our beloved Edward and Bella. They just need to hit a speed bump prior to it.

Don't forget to place your votes at **The Cullen Awards**! The link is on my profile :)

Also, check out my newest story _**A Little Less Than Before**_ if you want some full-out angst and heartbreak! That is also up for an award, so read it if you've got the time? It'd make me super happy! That will be updated within a day or two. Yay for super speedy betas like **IcelandGirl812**! Love, love, love her.

Oh, man. If you've got a Twilighted account, go check out the story _**Not Like This**_ by **pomme_de_terre**. It's a humanized version of New Moon and is just as heartbreaking as it is well-written. There's only seven chapters out, and I'm hooked! Totally had to throw it in here because she is not getting as many reviews as she should be! So, go! :) Here's the link: http://twilighted(DOT)net/viewstory(DOT)php?sid=4444

I'm finally getting well again, and reviews would only make me feel that much better. So, pretty please? :)

And Happy (early) Mother's Day to all of you out there who are mommy's!

-_**BB**_


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